Acmetropolis 2: The Reluctant Heroes Revised
by furrball
Summary: The official start of The HOP Force. Revised version. Rated T because S was already taken. LoonaticsxHOP ForcexOC.


Acmetropolis 2: "The Reluctant Heroes" by furrball

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Summary: After the Loonatics depart for the planet Blanc, Acmetropolis still needs a team of heroes. Believe it or not, this is it. Inspired by a throwaway line from Fire-Bandicoot-Coyote's "A Christmas Carol". Hey, it's the internet. What do you want for nothing?

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Part One: Birth of a Notion – Chapter One…

The warden of Acmetropolis Prison paced back and forth in his office, awaiting the arrival of some Very Important People. It was not like him to be this anxious, but this was a special instance. As if on a prearranged signal, a disembodied voice addressed him on his intercom. "Warden, your visitors are here."

"Send them in," he replied, straightening his tie as the door opened, and a beautiful blonde woman wearing a pink outfit with red hooded cloak entered. She carried herself with a regal bearing, which was not surprising. What might have been surprising to the casual observer was her companion, a coyote dressed in a black uniform with a green triangle on his chest. "Zadavia, Tech," the warden said. "It was good of both of you to come. I know you have your hands full, but this is a matter of the utmost…"

Zadavia raised her hand to silence him, and smiled warmly. "Don't apologize, Warden. After all, I practically consider Acmetropolis to be my second home. I owe it much."

"As we do you," the warden allowed a brief smile to cross his features. "If not for you, there would _be_ no Acmetropolis… _or_ no Loonatics," he added with a nod to Tech.

"You're welcome," the Frelengian smiled. "But I'm sure you didn't summon us here for a social call."

"That's true, Zadavia," the Warden sighed. "Ever since the Loonatics moved their home base to Planet Blanc, there's a void that's been impossible to fill. I'll be honest," he sighed. "Our police force is doing all it can to stem the crime rate, but it isn't enough."

"We understand," Tech said seriously. "Acmetropolis still needs its heroes… its _superheroes_, if you will."

"_Exactly_, Tech," the warden replied. "Unfortunately, they're in short supply to the tune of minus six."

"Agreed," Zadavia noted, tapping her right index finger on her chin as if she were formulating a plan. Certainly, the Loonatics being located near Wormhole Central meant they could be anywhere in the galaxy at a moment's notice, and that included Acmetropolis, if need be; but that wouldn't always be convenient. Suddenly she stopped, and a small smile crossed her lips.

She had an idea. It was bold, it was audacious… it might even be thought of as crazy; but it was so crazy that it just might work. For the sake of Acmetropolis, it _had_ to.

"What are you thinking, Zadavia?" Tech asked.

"You said Acmetropolis still needs its superheroes…"

"Yes?"

"If the crime rate is as bad as the warden _says_ it is, and I have _no_ reason to doubt him, then _maybe_ we should try a different tack."

Tech gave an embarrassed laugh. "I'm afraid that for once, I don't quite follow you…"

Zadavia raised an eyebrow. "Instead of superheroes, we… what is the phrase… fight fire with fire?"

The warden looked questioningly at her. "You mean, use _super villains?_"

"Precisely!" Zadavia exclaimed. "And I think I know _exactly_ the ones to use. The hard part will be…"

The coyote tilted his head slightly. "What, convincing them?"

"No, Tech," Zadavia smiled inscrutably. "Convincing _Acmetropolis_…"

---

The young woman formerly known as Paula Hayes was stretched out on her bed in her specially designed cell when the guard got her attention. "Hey, Weather Vane, you have a visitor."

Weather Vane was startled. "What? Who wants to see _me_?" Her question was tinged with more than a trace of sadness. Ever since her transformation, none of her immediate family had even considered visiting her. Heck, for all she knew, they'd practically all but _disowned_ her. Her view shifted to a figure in a long red hooded cloak, who apparently said something to the guard, who pointed in her direction, and then stood back, just in case he were needed.

The cloaked figure approached Weather Vane's cell. All Paula could make out were two blazing points of white light where this person's eyes should have been. "Greetings, Weather Vane… or should I refer to you as Paula Hayes?"

"I… I haven't gone by that name since…"

"Since the lightning struck you, yes, I know."

There was nothing harsh or judgmental in this visitor's demeanor or tone of voice, but the eye thing was beginning to unnerve Weather Vane. "Who… who _are_ you?" she asked nervously.

The white went out of the visitor's eyes as she removed her hood to reveal the beautiful blonde humanoid. "Do you remember me now?" she smiled.

_"Zadavia!"_ Paula gasped. "Of course! You and the Loonatics helped us out when we were fighting those Selzerians! Or, was it the other way around?" She shook her head briefly. "You'll have to excuse me, there's still a lot of that I don't remember… or _want_ to…"

Zadavia frowned briefly, and motioned to the guard. "Let me in there, would you? It's okay, I guarantee you she won't escape, will you, Paula?"

"Like I really need to do _that_ again," she shrugged. "I promise." The guard shrugged and let Zadavia into Weather Vane's cell.

"Thank you," Zadavia smiled. "This won't take but a few moments, I assure you." She motioned for Weather Vane to approach her; when she did, Zadavia placed a hand on her forehead. "Close your eyes, Paula. You're _not_ going to want to see this. You also," she indicated to the guard. The guard turned around, his eyes shut.

Zadavia concentrated as hard as she could. If Weather Vane or the guard had dared to open their eyes at this point, they would have wished they hadn't, as a rainbow emerged from Zadavia's forehead, illuminating the most horrific moments of Paula's encounter with the Selzerians, accompanied by a blood-curdling scream from Zadavia, who was literally reliving Weather Vane's experience. In any event, Weather Vane was rendered unconscious by the maneuver anyway. After a few moments of this, the screaming stopped and the rainbow dissipated. The only sound that could be heard after that was Zadavia sobbing for about a minute until that stopped as well.

The guard, cringing, turned around, his eyes still shut. "Are you all right, Miss Zadavia?"

"You can open your eyes if you wish," she smiled, wiping away her tears and backing away to reveal Weather Vane standing stock still.

"What's wrong with her?" the guard asked nervously.

"Nothing, now," Zadavia replied. "She just went through a Frelengian Memory Absorption, is all. I'd better bring her out of it now…" She placed a hand on the villainess's shoulder. "Paula, how are you feeling?"

Weather Vane shook her head as if she were coming out of a deep brain fog and opened her eyes. "Better, thanks," she smiled briefly. "Did you do that memory thing again?"

"Yes. You're okay?"

Weather Vane smiled broadly. "I feel great. Thanks! I almost wish _I_ were a Frelengian so I could do this!"

"Sorry, one of the drawbacks of it is you can't perform it on yourself…"

Paula snapped her fingers. "Darn. Then can you send a Frelengian psychotherapist down here?" she asked hopefully.

"I'll see what I can do."

"I'll settle for that, then," Weather Vane sighed, becoming serious. "I thought you'd forgotten about me…"

"After all that happened recently? I don't think _that's_ likely," Zadavia smiled. "What's on your mind?"

"Well, it's… What are you doing here, Zadavia? More to the point, what do you want with me?"

"What do _you_ think?"

"I _knew_ it, I'm in trouble…" Paula said, rolling her eyes.

Zadavia smiled warmly. "No, you're not in trouble…"

"Let's not kid ourselves, okay? I'm in enough of it as it is already. I don't need any more in my life," Weather Vane sighed.

"I'm glad to hear you say that. We thought you would."

"We? We who?"

"An old friend and I," Zadavia smiled, nodding to her left, which was the cue for another figure to come out of the shadows. However, Paula needed no introduction to this newcomer.

Weather Vane's jaw dropped. "Tech?"

"Hello, Weather Vane," Tech smiled.

"Hi, Tech," Weather Vane replied, briefly giggling at her own inadvertent pun while Tech shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I'm going to keep asking until I get an answer from someone eventually, but _why_ are you two here?"

"Let's just say we have what you would call a bit of pull with the parole board," Zadavia smiled. "We've been studying your case histories…"

"Case histories? You mean I'm not the only one you're interested in?"

"No, but we chose you first because you're different…"

"I already _know_ that," Weather Vane sulked.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean it _quite_ that way. Out of all of you, you're the only one who never really showed _any_ criminal tendencies before the meteor hit…"

"Hey, I'm not particularly fond of Misty Breeze; you don't think _that's_ a little suspect?"

"Oh, I don't know," Tech smiled. "She's not tops on _my_ list of favorite people in the universe, either… just don't tell Duck I said that."

"All right… wait a minute. You said 'all'. Who…?"

"All in good time, Miss Hayes," Zadavia replied. "I _can_ tell you I'm interested in you for a personal reason as well, namely, my brother…"

"Tech, tell me she's not trying to set the two of us up on a date…"

"I rather doubt that," Tech smirked.

"Hey, I didn't _ask_ to be dragged through that stupid wormhole of his!" Paula protested.

"We know," Zadavia said.

Paula was definitely confused. "Wait a minute, hold on… What could you possibly want with _me_, outside of the fact that your brother isn't number one on my speed dial?"

"I saw how you tried to fight him earlier, when you were with Mastermind, Massive and Sypher," Zadavia said softly.

"I didn't exactly ask for my so-called _teammates_, either, Zadavia," Weather Vane shrugged. "Anyway, we weren't exactly up to the challenge. Sorry."

"Don't apologize," Zadavia smiled. "You all did better in your next battle."

"I wonder," Tech interjected. "Why did you decide to fight him when you did?"

"It's a no-brainer," she exclaimed. "He was going to send Acmetropolis into a _wormhole_, for crying out loud! Sure, I know we weren't exactly the poster folks for crime prevention, but hey, this is _our_ home, too!" She bowed her head and sighed heavily. "Not that that _means_ anything…"

"Right _now_ it means more than you might think," Tech smiled. "We need you for a very special reason. Acmetropolis is facing its biggest crisis, and it needs a _new_ group of heroes."

If Tech wanted to get her undivided attention, he got it. "_New_ group? What about the Loonatics?"

Zadavia replied, "That's right, you haven't heard. They have a new job as Guardians of the Universe."

Paula looked askance at that news. "You're joking, right?"

"Trust me, Miss Hayes," Tech said. "She _never_ jokes, especially about this."

"At least _think_ about it," Zadavia added. "We'll be back tomorrow…" She turned as if to go, but then turned back and addressed the prisoner one last time. "We could really use your help…"

Whatever expression a super villain might wear upon finding out – from the _source_, no less – that the planet no longer had its dependable team of superheroes, Weather Vane wasn't wearing it. A mixture of genuine concern and fascination crossed her features. "Wait a minute… are you recruiting me to be a _hero_?" Zadavia and Tech nodded. "You're _serious_? After all I've _done_… all I've _tried_ to do… I could still actually help… _save_ Acmetropolis?" she asked.

"You did it before," Zadavia smiled. "You could be the one we need. It's never too late. You could still be the poster girl for crime prevention… and more."

"It beats wasting away in here," Tech hinted. "Besides, _you're_ the one who said you wanted to be a hero when you got out."

"Yeah, I know… I just didn't expect it'd be so _soon_," Weather Vane said, still caught off guard by the suddenness of it all. "Wait… Zadavia? Tech?"

"Yes, Weather Vane?" they asked.

"Don't… don't bother coming back tomorrow," she replied, bowing her head. Tech and Zadavia exchanged disappointed looks. Of all their potential candidates, she was the one who held the most promise. Weather Vane noticed their expressions, raised her head and smiled impishly. "Call me 'Paula' and you've got me _right now!_"

"Very well, Paula," Tech smiled in return. "We'll speak to the warden and the parole board, and arrange for your release. It might take a day or two…"

"I can wait," Paula replied, a little more excited than she had been earlier. Finally, she'd be free, she thought; but more importantly, at last she'd be able to begin making up for her past mistakes.

She might not have been as excited if she'd have known who Tech and Zadavia's _next_ potential recruit was…

---

"Are you _serious_?" Drake Sypher exclaimed from the safety of his cell when Zadavia presented him with the same offer she'd made to Weather Vane. "Me, a _hero_? Hey, coyote dude, tell her she _can't_ be serious…"

"Actually, you do a perfectly good job all by yourself without me running interference for you," Tech snickered. "As I recall, it was your wanting to be a hero in the first place that eventually got you here?"

"Yeah, yeah, I _know_ all that…"

"Let's go, Zadavia, we're just wasting our time with this guy…"

"You may be right, Tech," she sighed. "Still, he could have really been useful… But I fear, in the long run, he may have proven to be a weak link…"

"That's what you thought about _Duck_ in the beginning, remember?"

"Yes," Zadavia smiled. "Actually, Mr. Sypher, I see a lot of Duck in you."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yes. Unfortunately, just _not_ the positive aspects. You both crave attention, and you _both_ can be extraordinarily irritating…"

"She came all the way here just to insult me?"

"I haven't finished yet. You _both_ need to get over yourselves…"

"Are you through yet?" Drake asked, feeling a headache coming on.

"Almost," Zadavia said, pacing back and forth in front of Sypher's cell as if she were formulating the _coup de grace_. "When the situation calls for it, however – when he sets his ego aside – Duck can usually be counted on to come through like the hero he is – the one I _know_ he can be. If you were ever given _half_ that opportunity, Mr. Sypher, _you_ could probably do the same, if you only stopped thinking of yourself." Here she looked him straight in the eyes. "It's _not_ too late. You could actually _be_ the hero you always wanted to be. Not pretending, but _really_." The Frelengian then turned sadly to Tech. "You may be _right_, though, Tech. Maybe we _shouldn't_ jeopardize the future of Acmetropolis with this one…"

"Huh? What's this about the future of Acmetropolis?"

"_Forget_ it," Tech growled softly. "Let's go…"

As the woman and coyote walked away, Sypher pressed himself against the special glass of his cell. "No, _wait!_ You want me to be a hero? I can _be_ a hero! Honestly! You name the time and place…"

He couldn't see the two exchange subtle smiles. "I think we _have_ him," Zadavia whispered.

"Hook, line _and_ sinker," Tech grinned…

---

Chapter 2: And so it continues…

---

The third candidate on their list was seated on his bed and staring at a picture when Tech and Zadavia approached. As a matter of fact, he was staring at it so hard that he didn't even notice he had visitors; at least, not until he heard a tapping on the cell door.

"Oh, hi," Massive sighed as he noticed the twosome.

"Hi yourself," Tech replied. "So, how are they treating you?"

"Can't complain too much," Massive shrugged. "Got this nice fortified cell that's impossible to escape from, that can withstand anything…"

"Including an invasion from Selzerians, wormholes, and the like?" the coyote asked.

"Yeah…"

"You don't seem to be in any particular hurry to leave, Mr. Massive," Zadavia noted with a kind smile. "Or do we call you _Gordon_ now?"

"You could always try 'Mr. Paine', Zadavia," he shrugged. "That's 'P-a-i-n-e' if you're taking notes," he added, returning his gaze to the picture. It was then that Tech and Zadavia saw for the first time that it was an Acme-T publicity photo of Paula Hayes. "I never noticed just how cute she is…"

"Sounds to me like you've fallen kind of hard for her," Tech said, raising an eyebrow.

"Hey, you remember when I took that topple from the World Dome?"

"Oh, yeah, I remember…"

Massive took another look at the photo and sighed. "Believe me, that was _nothing_ compared to this… Oh, who am I kidding? I might as well be honest, there's _no way_ they're ever going to let us out, not after last time…"

"Supposing they did, Gordon," Zadavia said. "What would you do?"

"I don't really _know_, ma'am," he shrugged. "I don't think I'd want to try anything stupid enough that could get either one of us back in here again, _that's_ for sure!"

"Let me ask you this, then," the Frelengian paused before continuing. "How would you feel about being… a hero?"

"A… _a hero?_" Massive echoed. "You… you really think so?"

"Trust me," Zadavia smiled. "It's never too late, Gordon. You almost took care of Optimatus when he tried to send Acmetropolis into a wormhole, as I recall…"

"Not to mention taking on those Selzerians," Tech reminded him.

"Yeah… of course, I was thinking more of _Paula_ in the latter," Massive grinned sheepishly.

"We were there, remember?" Zadavia said. "A planet or a person, it makes no difference. The important thing is in both cases, you were thinking of others instead of yourself. That sounds like a hero to me." The Frelengian fixed her green-eyed gaze on him. "Gordon… we need you again. Not just the Loonatics or myself… _or_ Paula. _Acmetropolis_ needs you."

Massive considered Zadavia's words carefully, and then asked, "What will I have to do?"

"Just say yes," Tech replied. "We'll be back tomorrow for your answer."

"I can live with that," the big guy chuckled. "Tomorrow, then…"

---

"That's three, then," Tech noted with some satisfaction as the pair headed for their rendezvous with the last candidate. "So tell me, Zadavia, who have you got lined up for the fourth spot?" The 'boss lady' raised an eyebrow and gave the coyote one of _those_ smirks; the kind that spoke volumes without saying a word. Tech's shoulders slumped. "_No_, Zadavia… not _her_… not…"

"I'm sorry, Tech, but you and I _both_ know that whatever the strengths and weaknesses of the other three, _none_ of them have the scientific know-how this new group needs… or that _she_ has… besides, she did learn from the best…"

The coyote sighed resignedly. "Flattery will get you everywhere, you know that?"

"I've heard that said," she replied, as they arrived just outside the last cell.

Tech padded quietly as he approached her cell. 'Mallory… _why_ does it have to be _Mallory?_' he thought.

Mallory Casey, aka "Mastermind", was sulking in her containment cell, as usual. It had been some time since Tech had performed that surgery on her which had reduced the swelling in her brain, and even though (yes) she was still alive, and (yes) looked just as she had before the original accident at the Institute which had given her her powers, and thus, her nickname, she wasn't a particularly happy camper this afternoon. "Oh sure, saves my life, reduces my noggin and then forgets all about me," she fumed. "That's Tech in a nutshell. Find 'em, fix 'em, and forget 'em, that's him…"

_"A-hem…"_ Mallory turned around and found herself face to face with the object of her displeasure. "What were you saying about me just now, Mallory?"

"Um… nothing important…"

"I see," Tech replied, totally unconvinced. "Let me guess, making plans for what you're going to do when you _finally_ get out of here?"

"Why should you care?"

"Why… hey, I _did_ save your life, if you remember?"

"Yeah, I know, and it's not like I'm not grateful…"

"_'Find 'em, fix 'em, and forget 'em,'_ you said…" Tech sighed. "That _hurts_, Mallory. Not as much as your dog jokes, but it still hurts…"

"Oh… you heard…" Mastermind laughed in embarrassment.

"Yes," Tech glared at her. "To listen to you talk, you would have thought I'd have taken away your _powers_ while I was at it!"

"Well, it's _not_ like you didn't have the opportuni…" Mallory stopped short in mid-rant. "You… you mean you _didn't?_"

"It would've been tempting, but that wasn't what I was there for; and anyway, there wouldn't be any way to do it without either killing you or leaving you a vegetable," the coyote sighed, and then smiled. "Anyway, you're more fun this way."

"Now you're just _flirting,_" she smiled.

"If you say so… besides, you never know when those powers might actually come in handy."

"Um, not to insult your intelligence, but I'm not going to get much chance to use those powers in here…" Mallory stopped suddenly when she noticed Zadavia had joined them.

"We know," the Frelengian said. "That's what we wanted to talk to you about, Miss Casey…"

---

"Um, you guys got any idea why we've been summoned here?" Massive asked as the fearsome foursome were ushered into the warden's office the next day. As part of Zadavia's plan, none of the four were aware that she and Tech had talked to all of them.

"I have an idea," Sypher muttered.

"Quick, copyboy, have another one before it dies of loneliness," Mallory chuckled.

"Ha, ha, ha," Sypher countered. "Oh, that's a nice makeover, Mastermind. It looks good."

"I'll say thanks, but only on the assumption that you really mean it. Hey, Weather Vane, do you know what this is about?"

"I might," she replied, as the door opened and the warden entered, accompanied by Zadavia and Tech.

"Ah, you're all here," Zadavia said.

"Well, where else?" Drake grinned.

"Point taken," the Frelengian smiled. "I trust you all know why you're here?"

"No, not unless it has something to do with what you were talking to me about yesterday," Weather Vane shrugged.

"It _does_, as a matter of fact," Tech replied. "Please, everyone, be seated." The foursome pulled up chairs and sat down, as did the others. "Paula, since you have a little more info on this than the other three, why don't you tell them?"

"Okay," Weather Vane shrugged. "Guys, do you remember when we tried to fight Optimatus?"

"That was _so_ last year, Weatherbabe, and as I recall, we didn't do so hot."

"True, Drake, but do you recall why?"

"Why? We weren't prepared for him…"

"Um, that's not quite what I meant, Sypher. I mean, why did we try to fight him?"

"Are you kidding? He tried to shove Acmetropolis into a _wormhole!_"

"Exactly, Drake," Zadavia replied. "Now, let's move forward to recent events…"

"By 'recent events', you mean the Selzerians," Massive said.

"Yes, we do," Tech said. "You acquitted yourselves quite well in fighting them off, dare I say, heroically?"

"Oh, dare, dare, coyote dude!" Sypher exclaimed.

"Yes. And again, why do you think that was?"

"Talk about your ultimate duh!" Mallory sighed. "They were going to… invade… Acmetropolis… what exactly are you getting at, Tech?"

Tech turned to Zadavia. "Should we tell them?"

"I think they could figure it out for themselves, but Paula, you tell them."

"Okay," she smiled. "Guys…" The other three listened intently as Paula explained what was happening.

"Are you serious?" Massive asked. "Is that why they asked me about being a hero yesterday?"

"Now it all makes sense," Mallory exclaimed. "With the Loonatics gone, there's no superheroes left to defend Acmetropolis…"

Drake eyed the Frelengian and coyote with slight skepticism. "So you're recruiting _us_, based on superpowers?"

"No, Mr. Sypher, not that alone," Zadavia replied.

"It's _certainly_ not your charm and good looks," Tech muttered sarcastically.

"I think what you're missing here, Drake, is that, impossible as it sounds, twice we tried to actually _defend_ Acmetropolis," Weather Vane said enthusiastically, "and the second time, we _did_ it! We really pulled it off! Don't you see? We don't _have_ to spend the rest of our lives here! We can _do_ this! You always wanted to be a hero, now's your chance! And you, Mallory, with your brainpower, I'll bet you could out-tech Tech… no offense, Tech… and you, Gordon, you could use your powers for something other than yourself… we _all_ could! I don't know about you three, but I _love_ the idea!" She took a deep breath and delivered the closing argument. "Haven't you always wanted a second chance – an opportunity to turn your lives around and start over? Well, here it is, being handed to us on a platter, and I'm going for it, with _or_ without you!" she declared, standing up.

"There she goes, being overly ambitious again," Sypher snickered.

"Perhaps, Mr. Sypher," Zadavia said, "but at least this time, she's doing it for all the right reasons…"

The other three looked at each other and discussed it further. "Well, she does make a good point, guys," Massive noted.

"Actually, we didn't do _that_ badly against those lizards, when you think about it," Mallory added, a smile crossing her features.

"Yeah, but the Loonatics were there beside us," Drake cautioned. "If we go through with this, we're _not_ gonna have that luxury anymore…"

"No, we're not," Weather Vane replied. "It's just going to be the four of us."

"Four against the world, is that it, Weatherbabe?"

"No, Drake. Not against the world… _for_ it."

"Those are _still_ some pretty lopsided odds, girlie," Mallory said.

"I agree," added Massive.

"Like, ditto," Drake said.

Weather Vane smiled cattily. "Well, if you really feel that way… then why are you all standing up?" The other three looked and noticed that, indeed, they were.

"Um… restless legs syndrome?" Sypher grinned weakly.

"_All three_ of you? _Come on,_" Weather Vane said doubtfully.

"There's _got_ to be a catch," Mallory sulked.

"Actually, there _is_," Zadavia warned them. "I realize that once you're out there, it might be tempting to fall back into your old habits, so I'm attaching one condition to _hopefully_ ensure that won't happen."

"Just _one?_ What would that be, ma'am?" Massive asked.

Zadavia fixed a stern gaze upon him. "Simply put, Gordon… your freedom depends on your best behavior… _all_ of you. If one of you… just _one_… reverts to your criminal ways, then _all four_ of you are going to find yourselves right back here."

"So, to put it simply, you all are going to have to be each others'… um… babysitters?" Tech chuckled.

"Couldn't you use the word 'consciences' instead?" Sypher groaned.

"I didn't think you knew the word; besides, I didn't feel like it," the coyote replied straight-faced, which made it hard for Drake to tell if he was kidding or not.

"Boy," Weather Vane said, sitting down briefly while she absorbed the impact of this stipulation, and suddenly feeling like a cheerleader who'd been cut from the squad and had her pom-poms taken away, "you talk about playing hardball…"

"I notice you're not so enthusiastic about it now, Paula," Sypher said to her.

"Well, it is a challenge," Mallory noted, "and I love a challenge…"

Sypher still attempted to take this all in himself. "Well, nobody ever said being a hero was gonna be easy… but do you have to make it so _difficult?_"

"We want to be sure we aren't making _any_ mistakes," Zadavia cautioned him. "Any comments, Gordon?"

Massive shrugged. "If that's the way it's gonna have to be…"

"It's not _us_ you're going to have to convince, ultimately," the Frelengian replied. "Tech and I _know_ you can do this. It's _Acmetropolis in general_ you're going to have to win over; and I'll be honest – considering your pasts, they _aren't_ exactly going to welcome you with open arms…"

Weather Vane stood back up, a little slower this time, a serious expression on her face. "In other words, we're going to be the heroes nobody _wants_, huh? That's okay," she sighed. "I've almost become _used_ to being unwanted. I'm ready, Zadavia."

Zadavia fixed a sympathetic gaze on her. "_Are_ you, Paula? I have to be up front about this; it isn't like there won't be a lot of risk involved… because there will be, I can promise you that."

"Zadavia's right, guys," Tech added seriously. "Part of that risk is… you could still _die_."

"Man, did you have to tell us _that?_" Sypher groaned.

"I'm just being honest. A lot of times, we Loonatics got out alive by the skin of our teeth… and sometimes, it was just through sheer luck," he added, with an eye to Mallory. "Genius had nothing to do with it, and neither did super powers."

"I can't believe I'm about to echo Sypher," Mallory said, "but did you have to tell us all that?"

"It wouldn't have been fair to you otherwise. If you really want to go through with this, you have to know the bad as well as the good. No point in sugar coating it."

"I see your point," Massive replied.

"Then this is your last chance to back out," Tech advised the foursome. "If you want to… any or all of you."

None of the foursome chose to.

"Very well," Zadavia said seriously. "Warden, administer the oath."

"Raise your right hands." The warden fixed a _very_ serious gaze on the foursome as they did so. "Gordon Paine, Mallory Casey, Drake Sypher, and Paula Hayes, do you promise to use your powers to defend Acmetropolis to the best of your abilities, no matter _what_ the risk?"

Four voices echoed, in turn, "I do."

"Very well. You are hereby remanded to the temporary custody of Zadavia and Tech E. Coyote… and good luck."

"Thank you, Warden," Weather Vane said as she shook his hand, thinking, 'With this group, I'm going to _need_ it!'

This, by a strange coincidence, was exactly what the other three were thinking.

---

"Guys, do you think Acmetropolis is really going to be _ready_ for us?" Weather Vane asked as they left the warden's office.

"They'll have to be, babe," Massive sighed. "So what happens now?"

"First order of business," Zadavia smiled, handing each of them a package. "A new look for your new lives. You can change in there," she added, pointing to her white cruiser.

"Come on, Drake, don't stand there drooling," Mallory prodded him. "You're holding up progress!"

"But that's such a cool looking jet…"

"We know," Tech smiled. After they all boarded, Tech directed them to their individual cabins, and waited, calmly whistling, while the foursome changed into their new uniforms. "So, Zadavia, you think they'll like them?"

_"SWEET!!!"_ yelled Sypher from his cabin.

"I think they might," she smiled in reply. "Well, let's see what we're about to unleash on the world… you may come out now…" Tentatively, four doors opened, revealing the foursome in matching black uniforms. The difference between theirs and the Loonatics' outfits were the fronts, which featured a curved version of the Frelengian triangle, which swept from the shoulders to the right hip. The triangles themselves, as per the previous outfits, were different colors; Sypher's was bright yellow with red trim, Massive's was bright green with dark green trim, Mallory's had a silver triangle, and Paula now sported a lavender triangle with white holographic lightning bolts etched in it. Each outfit came with matching boots and gloves, which also had wrist communicators similar to the ones the Loonatics wore. Massive took one look at Paula and let out a huge wolf-whistle.

Paula shrugged cheerfully. "Nothing says sexy quite like strategically placed lightning bolts, I guess!"

"Hey, Tech, don't we get any of those cool black hoods like you guys wear?" Sypher asked.

"Um, actually, no," the coyote replied, "and before you ask, the reason why is obvious; since the general public already _knows_ who you are, there wouldn't be much point to hiding your identities anyway."

"Besides, you really wouldn't _want_ to cover up these good looks, now would you?" Massive grinned.

"Well, no, now that you mention it," Sypher smiled, preening his hair.

"Get over yourself, dude, I was speaking about Paula."

"Oh," Sypher said, obviously disappointed, while Weather Vane giggled like a schoolgirl.

"We can continue this fashion debate some other time," Tech smirked, "but now, strap yourselves in tight, folks. Destiny awaits…"

---

Chapter 3… and so it goes…

---

Zadavia studied the familiar terrain of her adopted planet as it came into view. "Hmmm… yes, I think right over… there, Tech. This will be perfect."

"You got it," the coyote replied, setting the cruiser in a parking orbit above the Acme Railyard. "Okay everybody, unstrap yourselves… it's just about show time."

"_Here_ again?" Sypher asked. "If I may say so, you've got one strange sense of irony! What are we supposed to do here?"

"Just be patient and wait for my signal, Mr. Sypher," Zadavia said. "That goes for all four of you, needless to say."

Mallory crossed her arms and snickered, "If it's needless to say, why does she say it?" This brought a polite round of laughter from the others.

"Enjoy the moment while you can, guys," Tech noted. "I've got a feeling it's going to get serious soon enough."

"Correct," Zadavia added, as the foursome assembled in front of the Frelengian. "I'll see you all again in a few minutes."

"Right!" Weather Vane said, speaking for all of them, and then cautiously looked downward. "Um, we're not standing on a trap door or something like that, are we?"

"No," Zadavia smiled, giving a nod to Tech, who pushed a button which bathed the foursome in a cool blue light… just before they all disappeared.

"The least you could have done was _tell_ them, you know," Tech noted with a slight smirk.

"If they're going to be heroes, Tech, they'll have to learn to be ready for anything… including the unexpected," Zadavia replied seriously, as she activated her communicator. "Zadavia to the Loonatics…"

"Yeah, boss lady, what's up?" Ace replied.

"You're needed two blocks east of the Acme Railyard. Something's come up…"

"Say no more, Zadavia, we're on our way… oh, any sign of Tech?"

"Yeah, we haven't seen that fur-covered Eisenstein all _day_," added Duck.

"Rest assured, he'll meet you there," Zadavia replied.

"That's good enough for us," Ace said.

"Zadavia out." The woman clicked off her communicator and raised an eyebrow at the coyote. "Yes, Tech?"

"_'Eisenstein',_ he says," the coyote muttered. "The man's name was _Einstein…_"

"Yes, well, consider the source," Zadavia smiled briefly. "It's time to get serious, now."

"Right…" Tech sighed. If there was anything at all he learned from his years in the Loonatics, it was that when Zadavia said it was serious, she _meant_ it. The coyote stood in front of his mentor, was quickly bathed in the same blue light, and disappeared, materializing two blocks east of the railyard. Having dispatched him, Zadavia steered her cruiser to a point three blocks south, and then activated her communicator again.

"Zadavia to Weather Vane…"

"Yeah, we're all here, Zadavia. What are we supposed to do now?"

"You are to head to a point two blocks east of the railyard. I'll meet you there with the rest of your instructions. Zadavia out."

"Well, _that _was abrupt," Massive declared.

"Hey, she _is_ the boss," Weather Vane replied. "Okay, group, let's get hiking…"

---

"Okay, the boss lady sent us here," Ace said, after the others had met up with Tech at the rendezvous point, "but where's the action at?"

Lexi tapped him on the shoulder and pointed behind him. "It's advancing from the rear, Ace."

As the Loonatics were turning around, the fearsome foursome, also unaware of the others' presence, were coming to the same spot and arguing amongst each other.

"Are you _sure_ this is where we're supposed to report to?" Sypher asked doubtfully. "I don't see much happening."

"I knew it, he lost the map," Mastermind grumbled.

"Knowing him, he probably ate it," Massive chortled derisively.

Weather Vane was not amused. "Guys? Can we just stick to the _plan_ here? _PLEASE?_ How are we supposed to be a united team if we're arguing like this?"

"We're not arguing, girlie," Mastermind snickered. "We're insulting Drake. There's nothing wrong with that!"

Weather Vane buried her head in her hands. "You people are without a doubt the most _impossible_ teammates to be saddled with, do you know that? When this is over I'm going to put in a request to be shipped to another prison where I'll never have to look at any of you clowns ever again for the rest of my life!" She looked at her chosen teammates. "Well? Don't just stand there with your mouths hanging open, _say_ something!!"

"Um, if you're serious about going back to prison, we can help speed the process along," Ace smiled.

Weather Vane turned around sharply. "Ace? It isn't what it looks like! Tech, tell them!"

"She's right, chief."

"What?" Duck asked. "These four break out of jail… nice outfits, by the way… and we're supposed to take their word that they didn't?"

"No, Duck, you're supposed to take _mine!_"

"Zadavia!" Weather Vane exhaled. "Thank goodness!"

"Eh, Zadavia, what's going on… besides a possible copyright infringement suit over the uniforms?"

"Simple, Ace," the Frelengian replied. "Loonatics, listen carefully. Since you are now Guardians of the Universe, Acmetropolis is without heroes… for the moment."

"_Hold_ it, Zadavia," Lexi said. "Are you telling us that…?"

"Exactly," she smiled. "Loonatics, meet your replacements!"

"_These_ four?" Ace asked, incredulously.

"Hey, we didn't do so badly fighting those Selzerians!" Sypher protested.

"Well, that's _true,_" Ace considered for a moment. "Zadavia, we've never questioned your judgment before, but…"

"You're wondering if I'd spent a little too much time underwater, is that it?" Zadavia raised an eyebrow and flashed a brief smirk.

"Well, the thought _had_ crossed our minds, maybe you need to get out more, take in a sporting event or something," Duck said without thinking. "Oh, that reminds me, Sypher, the Basherball league called. They want their uniform back."

"After _he's_ been in it? Not likely, Duck," Mallory snickered.

"All right, fun time's over, it's time to get serious," Zadavia said, raising her arms and casting a holographic image from her hands. "Observe!"

"Like, we're observing, boss chick!" Sypher said, obviously impressed. "But what _is_ it?"

Zadavia suddenly lowered her arms and glared at Sypher, her eyes flashing white. "My name is _Zadavia._ You will _not_ refer to me as 'boss chick', is that understood?"

The hair on Drake's head actually wilted, as did he. "Like, totally… ma'am."

"That's better. And to answer your question, Mr. Sypher, _that_ is the Doomsday Bomb. A sorrowful chapter in your planet's history."

"I remember reading about that at the Institute," Tech said. "A hundred years ago, a group of renegade physicists decided that Acmetropolis was never going to survive the ecological damage being done to it at the time, and so they set about building the device in order to destroy the planet!"

"Wantonly ignoring two things," Zadavia added. "One, that despite their dire predictions, the ecological damage in question _was_ reversible; and two, the possibility of their destroying the planet if there was no real need to."

"_Three_, if you don't count that crummy meteor," Weather Vane remarked. "So Zadavia, why didn't it go off?"

"Since they didn't want to be around when it did, they set it to detonate a century after completion. Unfortunately, the radioactive material they used was _too_ powerful, and they all died off within a month of finishing it."

"Fascinating!" Mastermind said.

"I don't think you're supposed to be _impressed_ by it, Mallory," Tech noted. "And unfortunately, if I remember correctly, the hundred years is almost up!"

"How long have we got?" Lexi asked.

"A week, possibly two," Zadavia answered.

"Isn't there any way to shut the thing _off?_" Sypher asked.

"Assuming we find it, of course," added Massive.

"I'm glad you asked," Zadavia replied. "It's disarmed by a numerical code, but be warned; one wrong number and the bomb accelerates."

"So that'll be _it_, then?" Weather Vane asked with a worried expression.

"Not exactly, Paula. They devised a sadistic little stop-gap mechanism. If, during the acceleration process, you can hit the reset button and enter the _correct_ sequence, from the first digit, then the bomb will disarm," Zadavia advised. "But you'll only get _one_ chance at that."

"In other words, muff it a second time, and you won't get another opportunity," Tech noted. "We're looking at two shots maximum, no more; so hopefully, we'll get it right the _first_ time."

"_Diabolical!" _Mallory uttered.

"That's the word I'd use, brain babe," Sypher replied. "So, Zadavia, where do we get this deactivation code _from?_"

"From Dr. Sakamoto Hu. He's the last living relative of the original scientists, and the only one who still knows the code," Zadavia replied, flashing a hologram of the scientist. "Unfortunately, Dr. Hu has disappeared. It is _imperative_ that he be found!"

"Let me guess," Ace said. "Any attempt to disarm it otherwise will result in an even _more_ catastrophic explosion, right?"

"Exactly, Ace," Zadavia replied.

"But if something does happen to it," Massive asked. "then what becomes of good old Acmetropolis?"

"To put it bluntly, Gordon, there will _be_ no 'good old Acmetropolis'… or anywhere else," Zadavia stated. "The explosion from the fail-safe mechanism would wipe out at least ten solar systems."

"Gulp! That many?"

"At least."

"And people accused _me_ of being heartless," Sypher noted. "Sounds to me like these clowns practically wrote the book!"

"Just a shame they didn't stick around to amend the last chapter," Lexi noted.

"'Amend' to that," Sypher punned, to a chorus of blank stares.

"Leave the humor to the professionals, okay, pal?" Duck growled.

"So what you're saying is, this would make the meteor that struck Acmetropolis the foist time look like a bump on the forehead in comparison, right?"

"Precisely, Ace."

"Rev, do you think you could find Dr. Hu?" Ace asked.

"In-a-phone-booth!" the roadrunner replied. "Could-you-show-me-his-picture-again?"

"Of course," Zadavia replied, flashing his hologram once more.

The Loonatics and others stared intently at the image, but none more intently than Rev. "Okay-got-it-see-you-later-gotta-go-bye!" With that, he took off to goodness knows where.

"I'm glad I don't have to listen to _that_ all the time," Mastermind grumbled. "How do you put up with him?"

"Oh, it's no more difficult than putting up with _you_," Tech smiled. "Zadavia, where exactly _is_ this Doomsday Bomb? The location has always been a closely guarded secret."

"Until recently, Tech," the 'boss lady' replied. "There've been reports of minor earthquakes in the Acmetropolis desert."

"How minor?"

"At first, too small to be concerned about, but lately they've been increasing in frequency and in magnitude."

"That's impossible!" Weather Vane exclaimed. "There's no underground faults located anywhere _near_ the Acmetropolis desert; and you _can't_ have earthquakes if there's no faults… can you?"

"Not normally, Paula," Tech replied. "But if there were something _underneath_ that could cause those kind of vibrations, then…"

"It's flat plateau city!" Mastermind giggled briefly, until she heard Tech growl and felt the glare of his angry gaze. "_Ahem_… so to speak…"

"So, you four are heroes now? Acting for the common good of Acmetropolis and all that?" Duck asked skeptically.

"They will if they don't wish to go back to prison," Zadavia said.

"I'll send you a holocard the minute you screw up," Weather Vane said to Mallory.

"Don't start, okay?"

"Now, now, ladies," Tech smiled.

"Tech, aren't you late for your rabies shot?" Mastermind asked.

"I'd like to give _her_ a shot," Lexi muttered to Paula.

"You and me both," Paula agreed.

"All right, I think it's best if we work in teams," Ace smiled. "Lex, since you and Miss Hayes hit it off so well last time, why don't ya pair up again?"

The two former adversaries exchanged smiles. "Hey, I'm cool with it if she is," Paula shrugged. "Got my back?"

"You know it, girlfriend!"

"Okay, let's see, Slam, I think you and Massive are gonna be needed for the heavy woik…"

"That's my style," Massive grinned.

"#$(!!!" smiled Slam.

"Tech…"

"Don't tell me, Ace, I gotta pair up with _her_, right?" he groaned, indicating Mallory.

"Well, you _are_ the brainiest ones here, doc!"

"I… won't argue that," the coyote smiled (somewhat).

"Let me guess, I get to pair up with you two, right?" Sypher sighed, referring to Ace and Duck.

"Precisely," Duck said.

"So how come I get to luck out with the two of you?"

"Because…"

"Because they don't really trust you, Mr. Sypher," replied Zadavia, "which is why _I_ will be joining this team."

"Oh, _sweet!_ I get to hang out with the boss chick… uh-oh…" Drake muttered, just before Zadavia gave a little push in the air with her left hand which inexplicably sent him sprawling on his back. "Why'd you do _that_?"

"Because _I_ don't trust you, either," the Frelengian said nonchalantly, "which is why you'll be wearing these…" She dropped a pair of gloves on him, which Sypher studied unenthusiastically. From what he could tell, they seemed to fit over the gloves he was wearing now, but other than a hole to allow access to his communicator and other items, weren't that different. However, he sensed immediately what they were for, and why.

"Let me guess…" he sighed as he unwillingly put them on. "To protect the three of you from me?"

"Exactly."

"Man, I might just as well have stayed in jail!"

"That woulda been fine with me," Duck muttered.

"Come on, Sypher," Weather Vane said, extending a hand to help the hapless would-be hero off the ground and back on his feet. "Let's not get dirt on the uniform before you've had a chance to wear it out."

"Thanks, Paula," he smiled, albeit a bit uneasily.

"Hey, what are teammates for?"

"Verbal abuse?"

"Okay, besides that…" She directed her attention to Tech. "So, Tech, any _more_ surprises?"

The coyote didn't need to be a mind reader to know exactly what Weather Vane meant. "I know, Paula, you thought you were recruited as crime fighters, and we promise you, that _will_ come in time; but right now, _this_ is much more important…"

Weather Vane folded her arms and gave him one of those looks. "You'll forgive me if I retain the personal opinion that you lied to us…"

"_Did_ I?" Tech replied, looking slightly hurt. "I did say Acmetropolis was facing its biggest crisis, remember, and if we're facing a _bigger_ crisis than the planet getting blown to smithereens, I'd like to _know_ about it! If that happens, young woman, you won't _have_ to worry about whether or not there's any crime for you to fight, _will_ you?" he snapped.

Both groups looked uneasily at each other. They could understand Tech losing his cool at Mallory… but _Weather Vane?_ At that moment, someone needed to be the voice of reason; and that someone happened to be Ace. "Okay, time to distance ourselves from the moment, all right? I understand we're all tense, here, but blowing our gaskets ain't gonna help matters any, especially when we've got a job like _this_ ahead of us…"

"Oh, heaven forbid," Paula replied sarcastically, before turning to Zadavia. "And just _what_ was the idea behind treating Drake like _that_, huh? I mean, sure, we already _know_ he's not top-of-the-line hero material, but…"

"Gee, thanks a heap," Drake muttered.

"Keep out of this, I'm not through sticking up for you yet!" Weather Vane told him, before returning to Zadavia. "If you weren't really serious about having him as part of this fiasco, then you should _never_ have recruited him in the first place!"

The Loonatics stood in shock, and the remainder of the megavillains cringed in anticipation of what the Frelengian would do next. She approached Weather Vane and bowed her head. "You're… you're right, Paula," she said softly. "We've been unfair to you four as a group, and I've been _especially_ unfair to Drake." She approached Sypher, head still bowed. "I recruited you as part of a _team_, and instead, all I've done is given you reason to leave… or _worse_. I promise you, by the moons of Freleng, it will _never_ happen again. Please… forgive me."

The silence hung heavy in the air until it was finally broken by Drake. "Do I get to call you 'boss chick'?"

Zadavia looked up, a small smile playing on her lips. "I'll… _consider_ it, Mr. Sypher."

"Well… as long as you'll consider it… okay, I forgive you," Sypher replied, but muttered for emphasis, "Although I'd still like to hear you say you _trust_ me…"

"_You're_ right as well, Drake. After the way you fought the Selzerians, there's no way you _shouldn't_ be trusted, and that goes for all four of you."

"All _I_ did was have a _headache_," Mallory reminded her.

"I have a feeling your time to contribute will come, Miss Casey," Zadavia said.

Lexi looked cautiously at everybody. "So, does this mean we're all friends again?"

Weather Vane smiled. "Yeah, I guess so… Tech…"

"Hey, don't worry about it…"

"But I _am_ worried! You're absolutely right, Tech… I _was_ out of line… and I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Paula, really. Listen, we've got to get back to HQ. Why don't you guys stick around here for a while, okay? We'll be back in a few minutes."

"Um, all right," she replied uneasily, before adding, "You _will_ be back, won't you?"

The coyote smiled and imperceptibly raised an eyebrow. "Now, Paula… have I ever lied to you?"

---

Chapter 4: Hit The Road… literally…

---

As the Loonatics and Zadavia returned to their HQ, one could sense that something big was up, and business as usual was going to be tossed right out the 125th floor window. "I gotta hand it to you, boss lady," Ace said. "When you hand the rookies an assignment, you don't mess around!"

"I can't _afford_ to, Ace," Zadavia replied. "I simply _refuse_ to let Acmetropolis be destroyed, whether from outside forces _or_ inside. Tech, what have you got planned for our… um, rookies?"

The coyote replied, matter-of-factly, "As I see it, their big problem – outside of the occasional personality clashes – is going to be one of transportation."

"I don't know," Duck said uncertainly. "Weather Vane can get around pretty fast in that bubble of hers when she _wants_ to…"

"True, but even though it can hold all four of them, it's going to be a little impractical if they _all_ have to be in different places at once," Tech reasoned, sitting down at the main computer and bringing up a set of blueprints on screen, "which is why I think they should at least have _these_…" He pressed another key, and the blueprints morphed into 3-D holograms. _"Voila!"_

"Those look familiar, Tech," Lexi giggled.

"They should," the coyote nodded. "I had to take into consideration the height and weight differences between Mallory and Massive, so theirs will be sized accordingly."

"Will they fit together like ours do?" Ace asked.

"Of course," Tech grinned smugly. "And should they add another couple of members to the team in the future, the design will allow for that as well."

"So you're thinking six members for _this_ outfit?" Duck asked.

"Why not? It worked last time," Tech chuckled.

"Makes sense to me, doc," Ace replied. "So when do you plan to start building them?"

"They're already done, Chief. After the Selzerian incident, I planned for just such an occurrence as them teaming up in the future."

"Okay, enough about transportation. Let's talk the team itself. What do you see as their strengths and weaknesses?"

Tech pressed another key, which brought up individual pictures of the foursome. "Let's start with Paula. She's young, insecure at times, and I noticed she has a fear of the unknown."

"Yeah," Duck noted. "When that wormhole thingy came for her in prison last year, she was scared out of her shoes; even more than Massive and Sypher. All right, what are her weaknesses?"

The coyote turned his head wearily towards the mallard. "Those _are_ her weaknesses, Duck. As for her strengths? Ace said it himself. She's a fighter. Given proper training, I could even see her leading this team someday; and I can vouch for one other thing. If she feels called upon to do so, she'll do anything to save the other three. She _already_ proved that during Mallory's surgery. That's her hidden strength," he smiled. "The others might get on her nerves, but Paula will be the first to protect them."

"Not to mention, stand up for them," Zadavia smiled. "Now Gordon, I've noticed, has a sense of humor, and also acts as a sort of a peacemaker when the other three get out of line. He's also curious, and tends to ask just the right questions. And as he has already demonstrated, he's not afraid to defend Acmetropolis."

"Or Paula," Lexi added with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Ahem, yes," Zadavia smiled. "Drake, now there's a… what is the phrase, Tech?"

"I'm going to assume you mean 'diamond in the rough'," Tech smirked. "He wants to be a hero in the worst way, and that's _precisely_ how he's gone about it so far."

"So you're saying he might be more of a liability than an asset," Ace observed.

"Well, now, you never know, Chief. Sometimes it's the least likely ones who wind up being heroes, whether because of or in spite of themselves. Duck's all the proof you need for that."

"Thanks a lot, bub."

"What I'm saying is, it's still too early to tell with Sypher. The desire is there, but what worked for him as a villain is the very thing that could hinder him as a potential hero…"

"And _that_ would be?" Ace asked.

"The fact that his powers are so negligible," Tech said, rubbing his chin in contemplation. "When you have to steal others' abilities, it doesn't look very heroic, and I don't care _whom_ you ask or _what_ the circumstances are. Also, I get the feeling he's trying too hard. We'll just have to watch him and see what happens."

"Tech's right," Zadavia sighed. "If he becomes too much of a liability, we may not hesitate to pull him from the team… and I really don't want to do that. Finally, there's Mallory."

"Yeah. Well, her scientific ability speaks for itself, and she still has those powers," Tech noted. "She's also not as bent on revenge as she once was, and she balances off Paula in the fact that where, as we said, Paula's afraid of the unknown, Mallory _welcomes_ it. Again, we'll just have to wait and see." Tech then pressed another key. "And speaking of the rookies, we'd better see what they're up to. Don't want them deciding to hold up a bank or something, after all. Hate to have their career end before it begins…"

---

Weather Vane stood staring at the Acmetropolis sky, sighed heavily, and then turned to her teammates. "Guys?"

"Yeah, Paula?" Massive asked.

"Do you think… _maybe_… we bit off a little bit more than we can _chew_ here?"

"What exactly do you mean, Weatherbabe?" Sypher asked.

"I thought we were recruited to be crime fighters, and instead, we get _this_ thrust at us first shot out of the box… I mean… I don't think I'd have _gone_ for this if I'd known what we were going to be up against, do you?"

"This isn't about disarming that bomb or finding the missing doctor, is it?" Mallory asked in response.

"No, it isn't," Paula replied, redirecting her gaze to the ground. "It's about… us."

"How do you figure _that?_" Sypher asked.

"Okay, just stop and think for a minute here. We've got this reputation as villains, and I can't really say it isn't earned, and now we're supposed to turn around and be _heroes?_ Not only that, but we have to stop the planet from getting blown to bits? _Who_ in their right minds is going to _believe_ that? I… I mean, sure, I'd _love_ to be a hero, who _wouldn't?_ But… are we _really_ the best candidates for the job… for _this_ job? Catching super crooks is one thing, but… but _this…_"

"Don't tell me you're getting cold feet _now_, girlie," Mallory chided her.

"I don't know, Mallory… I'm pretty sure if you asked the average citizen, _they'd_ never go for the idea… I guess what I'm asking for is a little shoring up in the courage department."

"Um… shoring up?" Sypher asked.

"_You_ know… just a little confirmation that we haven't gone and made a _really_ big mistake here," Weather Vane replied softly.

"What's this 'we' stuff, kemo sabe?" Massive said.

Paula's voice broke as she thought about what it was exactly she had gotten herself in to… and not just herself. "What bothers me the most, guys, is… I talked you three into going along with me on this! If we fail, we're _not_ going to get another chance. It's like… like I signed _your_ death warrants as well as mine…"

"Hey, we're not dead _yet_, babe," Massive replied gently, pulling her close to him. "And _you_ didn't talk us into anything, we _volunteered_ for this. Okay, in retrospect it wasn't the greatest career choice ever made; but neither is testing cement overshoes, you know?"

"The big guy's right, Paula," Drake added. "We'll get through this, somehow…"

"I wish I had your confidence right now, Drake."

"Hey, it's not confidence, Weatherbabe… it's unbridled ego!" he laughed.

"That might work for _you_, Sypher," Paula sighed heavily. "I just want to get this over without any fanfare, myself. If we can just get this done _quietly_, I'll settle for…"

Massive tapped her lightly on the shoulder. "Somehow, babe, I _don't_ think that's going to be possible anymore."

"Huh?"

"Let's put it this way, girlie," Mallory said. "If you don't like crowds and publicity, then _don't_ turn around."

Weather Vane grimaced, turned around slowly, and – to her horror – found herself and the others facing not only a street full of curious onlookers, but also the media in the shape of none other than her former boss, Misty Breeze, and her producer, Rob, as well as the Acmetropolis Police Force. "_Great_," she muttered. "What are we supposed to _say_ in this situation?"

Sypher cocked an eyebrow. "I don't know, how about, 'Hi there, we're you're new heroes'?"

"Somehow, I _don't_ think that's going to work, Drake," Massive replied.

---

"Uh-oh, I think it's time to execute a little damage control, boss," Tech turned to Zadavia.

"I think you're right, Tech," she replied. A sharp gasp from Lexi got their attention. "What is it, Lexi?"

"Um, I think at the moment, that's the _least_ of their problems, guys," the fembunny replied nervously. "Check out just behind Sector 4 in the upper left…" The others gathered quickly around her and drew in sharp breaths as well.

"_'Uh-oh'_ is an understatement," Duck gulped. "Who invited _them?_"

"Nobody I know of," Ace declared. "All right, Loonatics, they're gonna need help and fast! Let's jet!"

"NO!" Zadavia said briskly.

"Huh?"

"If they're going to be heroes, they'll have to do this on their own. Besides, we won't always be there in the future to bail them out. Tech, is their transport ready to go?"

"Waiting in Loonatic Two, Zadavia…"

"All right. Ace, you and the others stand by, just in case. Tech, let's go… and hurry!" Tech and Zadavia dashed out of the conference room and headed for the jet, leaving four Loonatics behind, alternately staring at the departing pair and each other.

"I sure hope she knows what she's doing," Duck muttered caustically.

"For once, Duck, I think we're _all_ in agreement," Lexi said nervously. "Ace?"

"You hoid her. If they need us, she'll let us know."

Duck fixed an unconvinced gaze at him. "She'd better let us know _quick_, then…"

---

Tech and Zadavia landed the jet just behind Sector 3, close to where the foursome were still trying to deal with their unwanted attention. Once outside, Tech pushed a button on a remote control, opening a side door. "Transport ready to roll, Zadavia! Let's join the party, shall we?"

"The sooner the better, Tech. It's going to get interesting in a few moments." Quickly they approached the foursome, who were still trying to explain to the Police chief just what they were doing there. "Is there a problem, Chief Reilly?" Zadavia asked brightly.

"Oh, Miss Zadavia, you'd better get back, these are dangerous escaped criminals here…" he warned her.

Tech turned a bemused eye on the situation. "It appears you've been spotted."

"Hey, you know _us_, coyote dude, we just _naturally_ draw a crowd," Sypher grinned nervously.

"I think you were _right_, babe," Massive told Weather Vane. "We _are_ going to be the heroes nobody wants!"

"They've been feeding me that line ever since we apprehended them," Chief Reilly said.

"But Chief Reilly, they _are_ heroes now," Zadavia replied calmly.

"That's what we tried to tell them," Mallory said. "I don't know _why_ they don't believe us!"

"It _can't_ be the uniforms," Massive chuckled. "They practically _shout_ heroes."

"That, and 'thank goodness they outlawed polyester'," Sypher guffawed.

Weather Vane stared at her companions. It wasn't hard to tell what she was thinking, either. "I think she's upset," Mastermind chortled mockingly.

"You're darn RIGHT I'm upset!" Weather Vane yelled angrily, surprising all of them. "This is just a barrel of laughs to you three, isn't it?"

"Well, actually, I thought of it more as a roadside amusement," Sypher offered.

"Well, I DON'T!!" Lightning crackled as Weather Vane became even angrier, and her three cohorts huddled together. Suddenly, Weather Vane closed her eyes tightly and breathed deeply. "Concentrate, focus, relax," she muttered half to herself. The storm clouds disappeared as she calmed down and tried reasoning with these three jerks once more. "Look, in case it's escaped your attention spans, what little you have, Zadavia and Tech must have put us four together for a _reason!_ You guys might think it's a great big joke, but this is _serious!_ _You_ might not care, but I _DO!_" She stopped briefly and turned away from them. She'd be darned if she was going to let these clowns see her cry, but her breaking voice all but gave her away. "I _do_… don't you get it? I only wanted to be a weather reporter, not a villain, super _or_ otherwise. You think for one minute I _asked_ for what happened to me?" Her question made the other three stop and think. "Did any of _you_? WELL?" Her question was greeted with a numbing silence. "I'm listening, but I don't _hear_ anything!" She wiped her tears and tried again. "Well, listen up, you three, 'cause here's a late breaking news flash for you!" She turned around and faced them with a serious expression. "I made a _ton_ of mistakes, and I'm _sorry, all right?_ I regret every last _one_ of them! I just… I just want a chance to turn my life around and actually do something _good_ for Acmetropolis. And for all I know, this might be the last chance I have… maybe my _only_ chance… Maybe _our_ only chance. We blow _this_ one, and it won't really matter _what_ happens afterward… you see?"

The trio could only bow their heads as the truth of her words sunk in.

"Maybe… maybe it just wasn't meant to be after all…" Weather Vane hung her head in defeat, her voice breaking, and approached their would-be benefactor. "Zadavia? It's over."

"What?" the Frelengian said.

"You heard me. Forget it. You'd better send us back to jail now and get some _real_ heroes in here. We can't cut it…"

"No! Wait!" Sypher said, getting her attention.

"Forget it, Sypher, it's too late…" Tears continued to roll down her face. She didn't care who saw them now. "A fluke, that's all it was, a _fluke_. Heroes? _US?_" Weather Vane sat down on the curbside and put her head in her hands. "I… I wanted to believe in us _so much_… (sob) now I don't even believe in _myself_…"

A cute little red-haired girl in the crowd, standing right behind her, spoke up at that point. "Miss Weather Vane?"

Weather Vane didn't even turn around. "What?" she sniffed.

"I… I believe in you."

That did it. Weather Vane's tears flowed uncontrollably now. "You _do?_ Thank you…"

The little girl handed her a tissue. "I also believe in the tooth bunny and the Easter fairy…"

"Um… yeah…" Weather Vane replied, smiling as she dabbed her eyes.

"…and those four big butt-ugly Gila monsters that just appeared right over there," the girl added, pointing towards the middle of the street.

"WHAT?" Weather Vane followed where the girl was pointing, and couldn't believe her eyes. Neither could the other three… nor anyone else. "_SELZERIANS!"_ she shouted.

"I see them!" Massive replied urgently, using his powers to lift one of them up and bring it crashing down to the ground. "Sorry, pal, but you picked the _wrong_ planet to invade today!"

Zadavia raised her hands and fired rainbow-colored energy beams at the second Selzerian until he disintegrated into nothingness. "And the _wrong_ day to do it!" she declared.

Mastermind turned to a frightened woman in the crowd. "Excuse me. That's a lovely rocket-shaped hairclip. May I borrow it?"

"S-Sure," she replied, handing it to her post haste.

"Thanks," Mallory said, working her particular powers on it. _"Hairclip poison dart!"_ she declared, thrusting it into the third Selzerian with deadly accuracy, and even deadlier results. "Bull's-eye!"

The last surviving Selzerian shot his tongue out and grabbed the little girl with it, causing his intended dinner to scream loudly.

"Massive! Gimme five!" Sypher yelled, and the big guy did just that. "Thanks," he said. As the monster raised her high in the air, Sypher encased her in his borrowed gravity and lowered her down to earth, while leaving the Selzerian's mouth wide open, obviously confusing them both. "Didn't your folks ever tell you to pick on someone your own size? Go for it, Weatherbabe!" he shouted.

"Right!" Weather Vane yelled, shooting bolts of lightning straight down the Selzerian's open throat, electrocuting the heck out of him, and causing him to release the slightly dazed – but otherwise unharmed – girl, who scampered up and hugged Weather Vane, who patted her head, picked her up, and returned to the crowd. "Whose little tax deduction _is_ this?" she asked.

A nearly overwrought young woman reached out. "Andrea!"

"Mommy!"

"Andrea, huh? Nice name. Mine's Paula," Weather Vane smiled. "Here you go. You're safe now," she added, handing Andrea back to her mom.

"Thank you! What in the world _were_ those things?!?" Andrea's mother gasped.

"Selzerians. The_ worst_ creatures in the universe. We ought to know, we've fought them before. Well, I'd better go," she replied, as Drake returned Massive's powers to him, and Mallory turned to the woman who had loaned her the hairclip.

"You know, you should wear your hair down like that. It looks good on you."

"You – you really think so?"

"Yeah… Paula, wait up!"

Paula wasn't listening. Still lost in her own thoughts, she just wanted to get away from everyone as fast as she could, including those three teammates of hers. She didn't get very far, because something unexpected froze her in her tracks.

It was small, at first… one handclap.

Then another on top of that…

And another…

And on and on…

Until, to their amazement, the four ex-villains were surrounded in a sea of applause, whistles and cheers that startled them cold.

"This… this isn't for _us_… is it?" Weather Vane asked, stunned.

"Um, I think it _is_, babe," Massive smiled.

"_Still_ think it was a fluke?" Sypher prodded her.

"Maybe… maybe _not_." She looked around and indicated the crowd. "Well, guys, Acmetropolis needs its heroes… and it looks like we've just been elected."

"Those are some mighty big shoes to fill, girlie," Mastermind noted.

"I know," Weather Vane replied. "We're not the Loonatics and we never _will_ be, either. All we can do is bring what we have to the table and… _try_. You're right, Mallory, it _is_ a tall order… but we did it before…"

"Um, correct me if I'm wrong, Weatherbabe, but I think we just did it _again_, didn't we?" Sypher smirked. "Twice? I wouldn't call that a fluke. I'd call it a darn good start!"

"You're… you're right, Drake, it is… now what was I about to say before I… nearly gave up?"

"That it was too late?"

Weather Vane blushed. "Yeah, that. You were going to say…"

"I was just about to say that Zadavia told me it's _never_ too late."

"Hey, that's the same thing she told _me_!" Massive exclaimed.

"Me, too…" said Mallory. "Did she use the same sales pitch on all _four_ of us?"

A smile came to Weather Vane's face at last. "I think she did." She looked again at the others. "Did she also tell you 'you could be the one'?" The other three shook their heads.

"Nope. Maybe it was just you," Sypher noted.

"Maybe… Come on, guys… we can do this… we've just _got_ to…" She looked around and indicated the crowd. "This is bigger than _us_ now."

Zadavia approached them at this point. "If it will help you decide, the Loonatics will be training you every step of the way. You're not going to have two years, so you'll have to pay attention at all times; but like she said… you can do this! Paula's right… Acmetropolis _needs_ its heroes… and now, those heroes are _you_. Are you with her?"

"Listen," Massive said, approaching Paula hesitantly. "It sounds to me like she's not the _only_ one who sees something in us… and if you're still willing to believe _that_ much in us, after we nearly let you down…" He smiled and clasped her hands. "Then I'm in… but only if _you_ are."

Mallory did likewise. "So am I."

The three of them looked half-expectantly at Sypher, who shrugged and said, "Hey, we're just a group… and a pretty motley one at that… but… I guess _you're_ the one who's gonna make us a _team!_ Besides," he grinned, stepping up and clasping his hands over theirs, "the last thing I wanna miss is a _party!_ Count me in!"

"Thanks, guys," Weather Vane smiled, and this time made no attempt to hide her tears. "Zadavia?"

"Yes, Paula?"

"Remember what I said about sending us back to jail?"

"Yes."

Weather Vane closed her eyes, clenched her fists, smiled, and practically screamed, _**"CANCEL THAT LAST REQUEST!"**_ to more cheers and applause from the crowd.

"With pleasure!" the Frelengian smiled in return.

The foursome exchanged glances, until Sypher broke the silence between them. "Well, what are we all just standing around here picking our noses for? We've got a city… er, _planet… whatever this is_ to save!"

The foursome dashed off… _very_ briefly… until Weather Vane put the brakes on. "Hold it, guys!" she yelled.

"What?"

"Um, we gotta find a better way to get to where the action is than _this_, don't we?"

Tech could be heard right behind them. "I thought you'd never ask," he grinned, letting out a sharp whistle. The foursome stood back in amazement as four color-coded custom-built Zoomatrixes roared up to meet them like obedient horses.

The quartet looked at the Zoomatrixes, then at each other, then at Tech, and finally, as one, said "COOL!"

"Lemme guess, the big green machine is mine, right?" Massive grinned.

"In a word, yep," Tech replied.

"How come he gets the big one?" Sypher asked.

"Let him sit on yours and find out," the coyote hinted, pointing at the bright yellow jet cycle.

"Um… no thanks…"

"Lavender… nice color choice, Tech," Weather Vane noted.

"I thought you'd like it," Tech replied.

Mallory leaped on her silver Zoomatrix and shouted, "Hi ho silver, anybody?"

Weather Vane gave a giggle and a wink. "It's in the public domain by now, sure, go ahead."

"We'll meet you back at headquarters," Tech advised them. "We're going to have a lot to do and very little time, so we need to get a plan in action as soon as possible. Oh, and before I forget?"

"Yes?"

Tech smiled. "You did good, guys. _Real_ good."

Weather Vane smiled and wiped away a stray tear. "Thanks, Tech." She turned to the other three. "Ready?"

"As we'll ever be, babe!" Massive smiled in return, as the group mounted their Zoomatrixes.

"Good enough," she replied, nodding to the group. "Okay, gang… LET'S RIDE!"

One by one they started their Zoomatrixes and flew through the skies of Acmetropolis as though they'd been doing it all their lives.

Misty Breeze stared off after them. "What are you thinking, Misty?" Rob asked.

"If _those_ four clowns actually pull this off, this could be one of the greatest turnarounds in history," she muttered skeptically.

"But don't quote you…"

"Exactly…"

Meanwhile, Tech was consulting further with Zadavia. "You really think they can do this?"

"I didn't do so badly with the _last_ group, now did I?" she smiled back.

Tech chuckled. "No, I guess you didn't… tell me… are you sure about Weather Vane? Could she _really_ be the one?"

"I have a lot of abilities, Tech, but psychic I'm not. However, this feeling is just too strong. She's _got_ to be the one… or else the whole _galaxy_ is doomed!"

"Are you going to tell _her_?"

"Not just yet, Tech; it's too soon… but I'm _sure_ it's her." Zadavia looked up to the skies as if she were seeing something far away. "For all our sakes… she's just _got_ to be…"

---

Part Two: "Never Too Late…"

Chapter 5: well, _almost_ never…

---

"Okay, let's see what we got, here," Ace said, as the group sat around the conference table. "Besides four new bona-fide heroes," he added with a grin. "Nice save, you four!"

"Thanks, bunny dude," Drake smiled.

"We don't have time to rest on our laurels, Drake," Weather Vane reminded him. "We need to find that bomb _and_ Dr. Hu, and fast!"

"You ain't kiddin'," Ace noted. "Zadavia?"

"There've been rumored sightings of the doctor at his estate, at 1940 Avery Drive. Lexi, I want you and Paula to check it out."

"You've got it!"

"Sypher, you will accompany Ace, Duck and myself to the Acmetropolis desert."

"Bomb hunting?"

"Not just that. That's also where the Selzerian scout ship crashed last time. We need to secure the area and make sure nobody takes anything from the wreckage. It's still secluded enough so that the general public won't notice it, but Colonel Trench has asked us to keep an eye on it."

"I see… hey, why don't you assign Massive and Slam to that, since they're probably gonna be sitting around here anyway?"

Zadavia cocked an eyebrow in Sypher's direction. "I hadn't thought of that! That way, if we find the bomb, they'll be close by, especially if there's any trouble. I _don't_ think those Selzerians' appearance today was just coincidence. Good point, Drake!"

Mallory turned to Tech. "Suck-up," she muttered.

"What about us?" Tech asked, indicating Mallory and himself.

"Eh, I think you two can hold down the fort here until you're needed, can't they, Zadavia?"

"Exactly, but be prepared. We may need you at a moment's notice if we find the bomb."

"Right!"

"All right, folks, time to get serious. Let's jet!" In the matter of a few moments, the door to the orb opened up, and one jet and two Zoomatrixes went off to their respective destinations. Ace switched on the on-board communications device to reach Lexi and Paula. "Weather Vane, this is Ace. Are you and Lexi readin' me?"

"Loud and clear, Ace," Paula replied. "Lex?"

"Same here, Ace!… Oh, wait a minute, I'm getting a call from Rev. Let me patch him through." Lexi flipped a switch on her Zoomatrix. "Okay, Rev, you're in conference call mode now. Any luck finding the doctor?"

"None-at-all-Lex-and-I-looked-all-_over_-Acmetropolis-and-didn't-see-hide-nor-hair-of-him-which-is-a-rather-strange-phrase-when-you're-talking-about-a-human-being-which-of-course-I-assume-Dr.-Hu-is…"

Paula couldn't help but giggle at the roadrunner's peculiar train of thought. "I think he is, Rev. Listen, Lexi and I are going over to his estate. We think he might be over there. Ace?"

"Thanks, Weathergoil. Rev, there's been a change of plans. You're to meet the rest of us over in the Acmetropolis desert. I trust you'll have no problem finding us?"

"None-at-all-boss!-On-my-way-Rev-out!"

---

Lexi and Weather Vane parked their Zoomatrixes at the front entrance to Dr. Hu's estate and, after dismounting, approached the door, which was slightly open. "I don't like the looks of this. I think somebody was already here," Lexi noted. "Be careful…"

"Right… So this is where the old guy lives, huh?" Weather Vane remarked, as she and Lexi entered cautiously through the door. "Hm. Nice piano. Pretty fancy digs for an egghead, wouldn't you say?"

"We're not here to write an article on home decorating, Paula," Lexi replied, and then suddenly stopped cold. "Hold it… _don't_ move…"

"Why, what…?" She followed Lexi's pointing finger to a man lying prone on the floor before them, who had obviously been in some sort of struggle, and come out the worse for it. _"Gasp!_ Lexi, is that…?"

"Afraid so," the bunny said, kneeling down by the man. "Dr. Hu? Are you okay? Say something… Paula, call an ambulance!"

"Right!" Weather Vane declared, calling 9-1-1 and hoping she didn't screw this up. "Hello? Someone's been attacked at 1940 Avery Drive, and we need an ambulance immediately… Hang on a moment…" She turned her attention back to Lexi. "Should we tell them to send the police, too?"

"Not a bad idea, Paula," Lexi replied. "Do that… I think the doctor's coming around…" While Weather Vane wrapped up her emergency call, Lexi concentrated on the doctor.

With great effort, the doctor opened his eyes briefly and painfully whispered one word. Weather Vane would have had to struggle to make it out, but to Lexi, it was as clear as glass. "Book…case…"

Unfortunately, Lexi's super hearing also picked up something else. The doctor's heart was giving out on him. Quickly, she began administering CPR. "Come on, doctor, hang in there…" she muttered frantically, but failed to get any results. That's when a desperate idea hit her. "Paula! That lightning thing you do…"

"Yeah?"

"You think you can control it enough to jump start him?"

"You mean like a defibrillator?"

"Yeah."

"I… I can try…"

"Then go for it," Lexi said, getting out of the way. Cautiously Weather Vane knelt down next to the old man and gently placed her hands on his chest.

"Hang on, doc, this might sting," she whispered, concentrating hard in order to make sure she didn't apply too much shock. "Clear…" Lexi watched as the faintest glow flowed briefly from Weather Vane to the doctor, and he reacted in kind.

Lexi leaned in and attuned her hearing to the doctor. "Hey, you did it!"

"Whew!" Paula replied. "I was worried for a minute. Oh, the ambulance and police are on their way…" It was then she noticed something quite out of place. "Hey, Lexi, what do you make of this?"

The bunny noticed it as well. "Hmm… those hairs don't belong to the doctor, _that's_ for sure." She picked them off the doctor's coat and put them into a small evidence bag. "Doc, can you talk now?"

"I… I think so…" he said weakly.

"Don't strain yourself," Paula advised him. "What happened?"

"I… I don't know. I was just getting in… and there he was… he said something about making sure… nobody would disarm the Doomsday Bomb… and then he attacked me…"

"Those hairs we found on your coat… were they his?" Lexi asked.

"Yes… I've never seen anybody as big or… as horrible as that… he must have thought he'd killed me, because he… vanished through a wormhole just… before you got here…"

The girls looked worriedly at each other. "_Wormhole?"_

"Yes…" Dr. Hu replied just as the ambulance and the police arrived.

Paula rushed to the door and called out, "In here!" Quickly the medics rushed to the doctor's aid. "You're going to be all right, Doctor," she said. She would have held his hand, but she realized she would only have been in the way.

"Thank you both," he whispered.

Then he lapsed into a coma.

---

Chapter 6: "We've got a live one here…"

---

Ace, Duck and Sypher were sitting behind a small rock formation in the Acmetropolis desert, while Slam, Massive and Zadavia were busy securing the wreckage of the Selzerian scout ship, when Rev zoomed up and joined them. "Hi-guys-I-came-as-UMPH!" he said before Duck clamped his hand over the roadrunner's beak.

"_Shhhh!_" the mallard whispered. "What are you trying to do, give us away?"

Rev shook his head (still with the duck's hand clamping his beak together).

"Can you at least _whisper_?"

Rev nodded.

"Can he at least be allowed to _breathe_?" Ace noted.

"Oops! Sorry," Duck grinned, releasing his hold on Rev, who took in a big gulp of air in response.

"Okay, Rev, no luck finding the doc, eh?"

"No-not-a-trace-of-him-but-I-_did_-find-the-Doomsday-Bomb-and-you-guys-are-never-gonna-guess-where-it-is…"

"Somewhere near this desert, I should think," Sypher whispered.

"Exactomundo-you-bet-your-sweet-Aunt-Charlie's-bippy-in-fact-it's-right-over-_gasp!"_

"Like, how'd he know my Aunt's nickname is 'Charlie'?" Sypher wondered.

"Um, guys," Duck said, trepidation in his voice, "that's not all that's right-over-'_gasp!_'… look…" Ace and Sypher peered cautiously over the rock, and their features froze.

"That's a Selzerian!" Drake whispered. "What's he doing _here?"_

"Odds are he ain't diggin' for clams," Ace muttered. "Rev, you think you and Duck can distract him long enough for me to take him out?"

The two super birds nodded at each other. "No-problemo-Chief… by-the-way-where's-Zadavia?"

Sypher looked up and a little to his right. "Guys, you _really_ don't want to know right now…" He pointed to a small ridge where Zadavia could be seen trying to get her bearings.

"I see her, Drake," Ace said. "Now we gotta stop Mr. Lizard from doing the same!"

"Time to take the gloves off," Drake said, doing exactly that. "Guys, I got an idea, but I'm gonna need to borrow Duck's powers to do it…"

"Are you _kidding_?"

"Keep your voice down!" Ace whispered. "What's the plan?"

"Okay. Rev, you distract ol' scaly butt, but keep out of the way of that tongue of his. Boss chick tells me it's a long one, and I can vouch for it!"

"Right!"

"Duck, you can still jet over to the boss chick…"

"I get ya…"

"You save her while Ace and I take care of our unwanted pest."

"I got a better idea… _you_ save the boss chi… er, Zadavia, and Ace and _I_ will finish him off!"

"Sounds even better," Ace said as Duck handed Drake his jetpack. "Um, you _do_ know how to fly one of these, right?"

"I'd _better_," Sypher grimaced.

"Spoken like a true whatever you are," Duck mumbled.

"Ace! Duck!" Zadavia called out.

"Oops! No time for on the job training, guys! Let's jet!"

Unfortunately, Zadavia's calling had alerted the Selzerian to her presence, and he turned to lash his tongue at her. Zadavia was momentarily startled and lost her footing… and even more startled when Sypher suddenly appeared next to her. "Drake! My ankle…"

"Hang on, it's gonna be a bumpy ride!" he yelled.

Meanwhile, Rev was busy distracting the Selzerian by running circles around him. "Boy-he-wasn't-kidding-that-_is_-a-long-tongue-I'd-sure-hate-to-be-on-the-receiving-end-of-that!" he said.

Duck suddenly quacked in front of the lizard. "Just keep those ugly jaws wide open, pal!" he said, firing a few flaming wasabi eggs into his mouth. The lizard roared his disapproval at Danger Duck's choice of treats. "Sorry, lunch time's over!" the duck shouted, quacking over to where Drake and Zadavia were.

"Rev, get out of there! Time to wrap this up!" Ace yelled, firing a laser blast at the Selzerian as Rev did just that. "Oops, I think I only made him mad!" he muttered as the lizard shot his tongue out at the bunny.

Meanwhile, Zadavia noticed something important. "Drake, where are your gloves?"

"I had another plan, but it didn't get off the drawing board, you know?" he smiled.

"Give me your hand," she said firmly. "Don't argue, just do it!"

"You're the boss," he said, grasping her hand and absorbing her powers as Rev arrived. "Duck, here's your jet pack," he added, removing it and handing it back to Duck. "Guys, look after her till I get back!" Instinctively, he flew off and parked just beside Ace, who was still shooting lasers and avoiding that tongue. "Need some help, bunny dude?"

"At this point, all I can get… OOPS!" The Selzerian finally connected and wrapped his tongue around Ace, opening his jaws wide for a rabbit dinner.

"No you _DON'T!!_" Sypher yelled, firing blasts of Zadavia's power directly down the lizard's throat, causing him to explode (and of course, release Ace at the same time).

"Whew! Thanks, Sypher!"

"Don't thank me; it was the boss chick's idea… which reminds me…" The pair quickly joined the rest, and Drake put Zadavia's hand on top of his. "There you go, Zadavia. Thanks for the loan," he smiled as she quickly reabsorbed her powers. "Oh, and Ace, you better get a fresh uniform… I mean, _PHEW!"_

"Okay, so a Selzerian's tongue doesn't smell like a bed of roses, I got ya!"

"Rev, scan the area for any more Selzerians. They rarely travel alone…" Zadavia said.

"Right…" Rev scanned the desert as far as his GPS could see. "Nope-not-a-sign-all-clear!"

"What was it doin' here, anyway?" Ace asked.

"Something tells me it was looking for the bomb," Zadavia replied, massaging her ankle.

"That reminds me," Duck said. "Rev, you said it was somewhere around here?"

"Underneath-this-ridge-to-be-precise…"

"Hmm… think you can use that GPS to spot an entrance?"

"Right-on-it!"

"Well, get going, bird," Sypher grinned.

"No-need-when-I-said-right-on-it-I-mean-_we're_-right-on-it!"

"And by 'it', you mean the entrance! Gotcha, Rev!" Ace smiled. "How's that ankle, Zadavia?"

"I think I can walk on it…"

"Yeah, but we'd prefer it if you didn't. Come on, let's get back to the jet. Drake, would you mind?"

"Be my pleasure," he smiled, carrying the Frelengian in his arms. "Upsy daisy… I don't believe I just _said_ that…"

"Um, Ace, aren't you forgetting something?" Duck asked.

"The power drain? Relax, Duck," Sypher said. "I _can_ control it at will, you know."

"No, I _didn't_… just the same, it'd be fine with me if you'd switch that will to _won't_…"

"Pay no attention to him, Mr. Sypher," Zadavia smiled, "you're doing just fine." The five made their way back down the ridge to their jet, where they found Massive and Slam waiting for them. "Anything to report?"

"Area's all secured, ma'am," Gordon replied. "Test of the area shows no radioactive residue from the missiles; still, we posted some signs to the contrary, just in case, and filed a report with Colonel Trench."

"Good thinkin', Massive. That should discourage any souvenir hunters," Ace noted.

Slam said something unintelligible.

"You're right there, Slam." Ace activated his wrist communicator. "Ace to HQ. Repeat, Ace to HQ. Come in, HQ."

"Tech here, Chief. Anything out of the ordinary happen?"

"We had a run-in with a Selzerian, but we took care o' him. Also, the wreckage is secure, and we found the Doomsday Bomb. You guys hear anything from Lex and Paula?"

"Nothing so far," Mallory responded.

"I wouldn't worry about it, then. They'll call in if they find anything. Listen, we're gonna turn on the homing beacon. We're gonna need the both of you over here to figure out that bomb."

"You got it, Chief! Tech out!" Tech and Mallory rushed to the hangar several floors above, fired up their Zoomatrixes, and were on their way within seconds, reaching the others in near-record time.

"Glad you guys could make it," Massive grinned. "We were starting to get bored."

"What happened to Zadavia?" Tech asked, noticing the Frelengian seated on the ground and nursing her foot.

"She sprained her ankle," Sypher noted. "You gonna be able to walk on that?"

"I believe so," she replied, bathing her ankle in a rainbow-colored blast of light for a few seconds, then standing up and, gingerly at first, applied pressure until she could walk without the slightest bit of pain. "That's much better!"

"Darn. There goes all my fun," Sypher grinned.

"Spare us the small talk," Mallory replied. "Where's the bomb?"

"Rev'll show ya," Ace said. The group followed the road runner back up the ridge until they were next to the entrance. "Massive, you wanna get this one?"

"Why not?" he smiled, extending his hand and lifting the cover, setting it off to one side. "There you go, open for business." From what they could see, there was a ladder that extended from the entrance to the ground floor… wherever _that_ was. "That looks like a long way to the bottom…"

"It probably is," Mallory replied, carefully making her way down when, unexpectedly, the ground shook violently, knocking her off the ladder. Zadavia and Massive acted quickly; the Frelengian casting a beam of light from her palms while the big guy caught Mastermind in a cushion of gravity and suspended her in mid-air until the tremors stopped, gently setting her down on the floor.

"Whew! _That_ was close!" Sypher exclaimed. "Hey, brain babe, you all right down there?"

"Oh, yes, I'm always fine and dandy when I'm unexpectedly hurtling towards concrete at a height of several hundred feet, why do you ask?" Mallory replied sarcastically as she spoke into her wrist communicator.

"Oh, no reason…" Sypher turned to the others. "Yeah, she's okay," he grinned nonchalantly. "How's it look down there?"

Mallory surveyed her surroundings, which wasn't hard to do as it was extremely well lit. "They kept up their payments on the electricity, _that's_ for sure… It's a good thing I'm not claustrophobic. Under other circumstances, I could have a field day here… One moment…" She paused in her wandering, and took in a very sharp breath. "Guys, I have good news and bad news. The good news, I'm looking at the bomb right now."

"What's the bad news?" Duck asked.

"We don't have as much time as we thought."

"I don't like the sound of that," Tech muttered. "Mallory, how much time _have_ we got?"

"Oh, about… ten minutes and counting…" she gulped.

"I'm going down," Tech said. "Rev, get me a spare jetpack for Mallory."

"Right!" The roadrunner dashed off and returned with the jetpack in a second. Literally. "Thanks, Rev. Gordon, you'll have to drop this down to me."

"You got it," Massive replied. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Tech sighed nervously, firing up his jetpack and descending down the hole until he was on the floor. "Okay, Massive. Now!" Massive lifted the spare jetpack and lowered it down to Tech with no problems whatsoever. "Good work, Gordon," the coyote said via his wrist communicator. "My goodness… this is incredible! Mallory wasn't kidding! Guys, you'd better be ready to jet the heck out of here… with _or_ without us… just in case…"

"We got ya," Ace said somberly.

Tech cautiously approached Mallory and handed her the jetpack. "Here you go, Mall."

"Thanks, Tech. What do you think, could we disarm this if we had to?"

The coyote shook his head. "Without the code? I don't think I'd be stupid enough to try, and neither would you. I _wish_ Lexi and Paula would call in…"

---

Chapter 7: "It's all in how you look at it."

---

Lexi had never felt so useless in her life. Here she was, a super heroine, and even she and Paula's combined abilities were not enough to help the doctor. Even after the ambulance left and they had given their statements to Chief Reilly, she and Weather Vane stayed behind.

Weather Vane, of course, was not faring any better. Eventually, after some more time had passed, she spoke quietly. "So… so that's it, then, huh?"

"I… I guess so," the bunny replied softly, turning on her wrist communicator. "Lexi to Tech…"

"Yeah, Lexi, what's up?"

"We… we found the doctor…"

Tech could tell from the tone of the bunny's voice that the mission hadn't been entirely successful. "What happened?"

"He's in a coma." Here she chose her words carefully. "He was attacked…"

"Any ideas?"

Lexi took a deep breath. "Optimatus."

"_WHAT?!?"_ Tech exclaimed. "That guy has more nerve than a bum tooth! Are you _sure?_"

"We found his hair on the doctor's coat, and the doctor said he'd vanished through a wormhole just before Paula and I got here…"

"I see… we'll have to tell Zadavia…"

"Yeah… we're going to see if we can find the code…"

"You think it's still there?"

"It might be. How much time have we got?"

"Eight minutes." Tech started to tell them that they'd better hurry up and find it, but thought better of it and said, simply, "Good luck, you two."

"Thanks. Lexi out."

"Lexi?" The bunny turned her gaze to the still-stunned Weather Vane. "Wasn't there… anything else we could have done?"

"You heard the medics. He was too far gone by the time we got here. We just kept him going a little longer. There was nothing _anybody_ could have done for him…"

"What did he say earlier?"

"Bookcase," Lexi sighed, pointing to the huge bookcase in front of them. It was large, with two glass doors, behind which were nine cubicles arranged in a three-by-three format, and very few books to speak of. "I guess he didn't like to read much…"

"I guess he didn't like to read at all, Lexi. It's locked." Weather Vane then raised her hands to try opening it with a lightning bolt.

"Paula, STOP!"

"Huh?"

Lexi picked herself up off the floor and walked slowly to the bookcase, studying it. "Maybe… maybe we're not _supposed_ to open it…" A small smile crossed her lips. "Let's think here. He wouldn't have said that without a reason… maybe there's a clue there somewhere… but what?"

"Well if there is, it sure isn't in the book titles," Paula sighed. "He's got books on every imaginable subject here… what few books there are." She then began counting them off. "Let's see… 2… 4… 1… 8…"

"What are you doing, taking inventory?"

"I'm just noticing how the books are arranged, okay? There are 2 books here, then 4 next to that, then 1, and…" She suddenly stopped, and her incredulous gaze met Lexi's, which was just as incredulous. "Tell me it _can't_ be this easy!"

"What, saving the world? Guess it _can_," Lexi shrugged, and activated her wrist communicator. "Tech! Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, Lexi, what's up?"

"We got the code!"

"Great! Mallory, get ready to type!" Tech said, as Mastermind sat down at the keypad, and then nodded at the coyote. "Okay…"

"It's a nine-digit sequence. 2… 4… 1… 8… 6… 5… 9… 7… 3. Got that?"

"Got it! Good job, Lex!"

"Hey, don't thank me, Weather Vane's the one who figured it out," Lexi smiled.

"In that case, good job, Paula," Tech corrected himself. "Okay, Mallory, you got all that?"

"2-4-1-8-6-5-9-7-3… check!" Mastermind replied, casting a glance at the countdown clock, which now read six minutes. "Well, here goes nothing…" She cautiously began entering each digit, making sure she got it right. "2…" She got no further than that, as the bomb started making an accelerating sound and the clock began counting down faster. "What happened?"

Tech spoke urgently into his wrist communicator. "Lexi, are you _sure_ of those numbers?"

"Oh-oh, I don't like that question… Paula, it isn't working!"

"I don't understand… WAIT A MINUTE! Oh, how could I have been so _stupid?_" Weather Vane berated herself."I forgot the Doctor is Japanese!"

"What does _that_ have to do with…?" Lexi asked anxiously.

Paula grabbed the fembunny by the shoulders, panic in her eyes. "Don't you _get_ it, Lex? The code isn't 3 rows top to bottom, it's

_3_ _columns right to left!_ **MALLORY!**" she screamed.** "1-5-3-4-6-7-2-8-9!! **_**HURRY!!!**_**"**

"You'd better be right _this_ time, girlie," Mastermind muttered, hitting the reset button and repeating the new sequence. "1…" At the click of the '1', the noise died down and the clock resumed its normal pace. "5…3…4…6…7…2…8…9!" As she entered the last number, she and Tech exchanged worried glances as the countdown clock continued running. "Okay, _now_ what?"

"Now? We start praying…" the coyote mumbled as he watched the clock.

5… 4… 3… 2… and the clock stopped.

"Tech?" Lexi yelled into her wrist communicator. "TECH? ANSWER ME!!" Brief silence… then what sounded like two coyotes howling. "Tech? Mallory?"

"Ha ha, it _worked!!"_ Tech laughed.

"YES!" the bunny yelled back. "Tell Mallory that was some quick typing there, and we'll meet you back at HQ! Lexi out!" She then turned her attention to Paula, and was startled at what she saw.

Weather Vane was huddled on the floor and… crying?

There was no mistaking it. Lexi sat down next to her and hugged her. "Hey, you _did_ it, girlfriend! Took you a couple of tries, but you did it."

Paula cried herself out, wiped her eyes, and then… and only then… finally smiled. "I… I _did_, didn't I? I… actually… _saved_ Acmetropolis…" she said, still not quite believing it herself.

"You sure _did_," Lexi smiled back. "How're you feeling?"

Weather Vane's eyes still glistened with tears as she looked at the blonde bunny. "Like a hero. You know, Lexi, it feels good."

"Hey, get _used_ to it. C'mon, let's get out of here…"

"You two aren't going _anywhere!_" hissed an all too familiar voice.

"No…" whispered Weather Vane, as the form of Optimatus materialized from a wormhole.

"Yes," he continued hissing in contempt. "What's the matter, Weather Vane? Aren't you happy to see me?"

"After the last time? Not really," she replied, but any bravado she might have had was failing her miserably.

Fortunately, Lexi possessed enough courage for the two of them. "Give it up, Optimatus! The bomb's already been disarmed."

"Oh, has it? That's too bad. However, I'm certain the material inside is still just as deadly," he sneered. "All I have to do is find the bomb and open it. And _you're_ going to stop me? To quote an ancient Frelengian proverb, you and _what_ army?"

"Now you oughta know better than to ask stupid questions like _that_, doc!" Optimatus whirled around to see Ace and the rest of the Loonatics, Zadavia, Massive, Mastermind and Sypher – none of whom were particularly pleased to see him at that or any other moment – emerging from a portal which had suddenly materialized behind him.

"Hey, it's the only way he'll ever get stupid answers," Duck noted.

"_You _again! Why, I ought to--"

"SHADDUP!!" Duck yelled.

_"WHAT?!?"_

"You heard me the first time! Or do I have to yell in your good ear… oh, wait, that's right, I forgot. _Nothing_ about you is good," Duck chortled.

"You know, doc, you really oughta take up a more relaxin' hobby," Ace noted, just before he suddenly and almost inexplicably hit the floor. The key word here being 'almost'.

"The bunny's right, you know," Massive grinned. "Have you ever considered taking up the piano?" With that, he released his temporary hold on Ace, long enough for the bunny to get out of the way while the piano he'd been levitating fell down on top of Optimatus with a thunderous crash!

"Pity," smirked Mastermind. "He ruined a perfectly good Steinway there."

"All right, suckers, that's as far as you get!" Sypher yelled defiantly, suddenly grabbing Duck and siphoning off his power.

"Sypher! What are you doing?" shouted Weather Vane frantically.

"Back off, girl!" he snapped, taking the now powerless Duck and throwing him into the midst of the Loonatics, and then grabbing Optimatus. "Sorry, folks, it's been fun, but Optipotato and I have to check out some prime desert real estate!" he cackled before the two of them quacked out of the room.

Weather Vane looked as if she were heartbroken. She was. "Sypher, you idiot, what have you _done?_" she cried, only to be interrupted by a hand – or rather a wing – brushing her cheek.

"Don't sweat it, kid," Duck smiled. "He knows what he's doing… I hope…"

In the desert bunker that housed the Doomsday Bomb, the stillness was broken by the sudden appearance of Sypher and Optimatus, who materialized just outside the bomb. "Perfect," laughed Sypher. Even _he_ didn't think he'd be able to quack _that_ far.

"Yes," Optimatus agreed. "Now, how to dismantle it?"

"Tell you what, I have an idea," Sypher grinned… and then he quacked the two of them _inside_ the bomb. "When you figure it out, let me know! See ya!" Then he quacked out again, leaving Optimatus trapped inside.

The mood in the doctor's house was one of confusion, especially when Sypher suddenly quacked back in the midst of them and grabbed hold of Duck's hand, returning his powers to him. "There ya go, fine feathered friend!" Turning to Zadavia, he said, "You know where to find him."

"Indeed," she replied. "Duck, are you feeling okay?"

"Never better," he grinned, taking her hand in his. "We'll be back, folks." With that, the two teleported out and materialized inside the bunker, where they could hear Optimatus cursing, still trying to get out of the bomb.

"Such _language_," Duck said flippantly.

"Duck," Zadavia whispered. "Quiet… that's not Frelengian…"

After a few more seconds' consideration, the mallard added, "It sure isn't English, either." He turned to see a worried look on her face. "Um, Zadavia?"

"Bad news, Duck… that's _Selzerian!_" Zadavia raised her arm quickly, revealing her brother's wormhole device. Without a word, she activated it, sending the bomb and its captive into a black hole. "Hurry! We must alert the others!" She and Duck quacked out and reappeared in the doctor's house.

"Zadavia! What happened?" asked Ace.

"I sent the bomb and its… um, passenger… into a black hole," she said coldly. "Where they belong. Well done, Drake."

"Thanks," he smiled, but it was a weak smile. That's when it hit the rest of them what it was exactly that Sypher had done.

"Sypher," gasped Mallory. "You _didn't…"_

"It was the only way, brain babe," he smiled, before collapsing completely…

---

Chapter 8: "Revelations."

---

All eyes were on Tech as he emerged from the medical bay in the Loonatics' HQ. "Well, Tech, how is he?" Ace asked.

"Fortunately for him, he was only exposed to the material in the bomb for about four seconds, not long enough to do any real damage. He should make a full recovery."

"That idiot took a real chance doing that," snapped Weather Vane.

"Yeah," Ace said. "He even had _me_ believin' it! Whose bright idea was it, anyway?"

"Don't tell anybody," Duck grinned, "but it was _his_."

"You know something?" Lexi said. "A few more stunts like that and we just might make a _real_ hero out of him yet."

"If he _lives_ that long," Weather Vane muttered.

"Can we see him?" Massive asked.

"If you like," Tech nodded. The group strode into the medical bay to see Sypher relaxing by the window, sitting in a chair and reading a magazine.

"Well, hey, I didn't think I'd get visitors this soon," he smiled, getting up to greet them. "Don't worry, ol' Tech says I'm not contaminated."

"That's good to know, Drake," Weather Vane said. "From the rest of us, I just want to say something…"

"Well, don't hold back, babe, lay it on me!"

"With pleasure," Paula smiled, just before she landed a roundhouse to the breadbasket that sailed Sypher clear across the room. "Don't you _ever_ jeopardize our freedom like that again, you moron!!" she yelled angrily.

"I think she likes you," Massive snickered.

"Well, I _did_ tell her not to hold back, didn't I?" Sypher grinned sheepishly.

"Your own fault, copyboy," Mastermind chuckled.

"It was exactly the right course of action," Zadavia noted. "Drake, everybody, listen carefully. That _wasn't _Optimatus. It was a Selzerian!"

"Not _again_," Paula shuddered, instinctively clinging to Massive for protection.

"Don't worry, babe, he's gone…"

"But… what if there's more?"

Ace placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Then we'll be ready for 'em, Paula."

"That's right," Massive replied. "We _all_ will."

"I can only speak for myself," Zadavia stated, "but I'm proud of _all_ of you. And as for you, Mr. Sypher, you deserve something very special."

"Yeah?"

"Yes." The Frelengian paused, and then smirked wickedly. "I'm going to _let_ you call me 'boss chick'."

"I prob'ly shoulda held out for the money," Drake sighed good-naturedly.

"Hey, that's the hero biz," Duck replied as Ace's cell phone rang.

"I'll get that," Ace said. "Eh, what's up?… Oh, really? That's good news, doc. Thanks, I'll let them know. Bye."

"Ace, who was that?" Lexi asked.

"The hospital. Doctor Hu came out of the coma and is expected to make a full recovery."

"Yes!" Weather Vane shouted. "I'm glad to hear that… but I don't think he's going to be too thrilled when he finds out what Gordon did to his piano."

"Hey, I had to hit that creep with _something!_"the big guy explained.

"Well, you can tell him yourself," Weather Vane smiled.

"I have a better idea," Zadavia smiled cryptically…

---

EPILOGUE…

The Loonatics and their new allies were gathered in the living room of Dr. Hu's sprawling estate, alongside Zadavia and, of course, the doctor himself. Zadavia had presented him with a new piano, and the doctor seemed rather pleased with it. "I can't thank you enough," he smiled, "but you really didn't have to go to all that bother, Zadavia. I don't play it myself."

"Well, it's the thought that counts," Lexi smiled. "So you're feeling better?"

"Much, Miss Bunny. I especially want to thank you and Miss Hayes for your timely intervention."

"Hey, only too happy, Doctor," Paula smiled.

"And for rescuing Acmetropolis, not to mention me, I feel you four should be rewarded."

"Sorry, doc, but we're not allowed to take cash. Rules of the game," Drake sighed.

"No, nothing like that, Mr. Sypher. Zadavia explained the rather, shall we say, unique conditions of your situation, and since my recovery may take a while…"

"Wait a minute," Massive said. "Are you suggesting we stay _here?_"

"Why not? You'll need a base of operations, as well as a team supervisor, and I would be more than happy to have you here," the doctor smiled.

"Well, I don't know…" Mastermind started to say.

"Don't be too hasty to refuse, Miss Casey. I have more than enough room for all four of you, and I _could_ use some help with my experiments," the doctor smiled, handing her a set of blueprints, which she glommed over like a kid in a candy store.

"Fascinating! If you eliminate this solenoid here and replace it with a small transistor…"

"Oh boy, here she goes…" Sypher muttered.

"Oh, go play basherball with yourself," Mallory retorted.

"Actually, I don't have any basherball equipment, but I do have a primitive form of the game set up out back. It's called basketball…"

Massive and Sypher stared briefly at each other. "Best two out of three?" Massive grinned.

"You are gonna be _so_ sorry you asked, Goliath!"

"_This_ I have got to see!" Ace chuckled, before everyone noticed the sound of the piano being played by Weather Vane.

"I didn't know you played!" Lexi exclaimed.

"Oh, there's a _lot_ you don't know about me, girlfriend," Paula smiled.

"Hey, if we're going to be a group, we ought to have a name," Massive said.

Mallory asked, "You mean like Loonatics?"

"Eh, sorry, Mallory, but that one's already been taken," Tech smirked.

"I know what she means," Paula said. "What are we?"

"Don't make me tell you," Duck muttered.

"All right, let me rephrase that. What do we _want_ to be?"

"Reckless gazillionaires?" Sypher asked.

Paula buried her face in her hands. "_No no no no no_…"

"Heroes?" Dr. Hu asked.

"Yes! _Finally_ somebody gets it!"

"Um, it's a little hard to be heroic if you're on parole, isn't it?" Duck snorted.

Paula turned with a start, and then her features brightened. "Heroes… on parole…? H… O… P… That's IT! Duck, you're _brilliant!_"

"Well, I'm glad _somebody_ finally appreciates my superior intellect…"

"We'll be the H.O.P. Force!"

That stripped Duck's gears. "_WHAT?!?_ 'HOP'? That's what _rabbits_ do! Why don't you call yourself D.U.C.K.?"

"Because I can't think of a workable acronym for DUCK," Paula countered.

"Or a suitable rhyme," Sypher snickered.

Massive grabbed a pencil and paper and drew a quick logo. "Hey, Paula, how's this?"

The others gathered round to inspect his artwork: a silhouette of Ace's head against some concentric circles. "I _LIKE_ it!" Paula exclaimed.

"_That's_ the best you could come up with?" Duck snorted again.

"It works for me," Mallory chuckled.

"Yeah, I've always been partial to that design myself for some reason," Ace added.

"Fine, turn against me…" Duck seethed.

"Then that's what you shall become," Zadavia smiled. "I officially christen you 'The H.O.P. Force'."

As the others joined in celebrating, Tech couldn't help but notice a faraway look in their mentor's eyes, and he surreptitiously moved away from the group to join her. "Is something wrong, Zadavia?" She nodded quietly, hoping none of the others could see it. Tech nodded in reply. "Um, the boss lady and I are just going to step out for some air…"

"Hey, bring me back a pail while you're at it, coyote dude," Sypher snickered.

"Yeah, yeah, right, right…" Once outside, Tech turned to Zadavia. "Okay, what is it?"

She fixed her green eyes on the coyote. "You remember when I said Weather Vane could be the one?"

"Yes, although you never explained 'the one' _what_…"

"I wish I didn't have to, either," she frowned. "It's connected to an ancient Frelengian prophecy. I never fully understood it before now…"

"Go on…"

The Frelengian took a deep breath, and recited it from memory:

_"The last Selzerian will be destroyed from within_

_ By lightning from the skies._

_ The lightning will dwindle to a spark;_

_ And having defeated them all,_

_ It, too, will die,_

_ Never to live again."_

Zadavia bowed her head sadly as a solitary tear ran down her cheek.

"So, for us to defeat the Selzerians, Paula's going to have to… _die?_" Tech whispered, shocked.

Zadavia closed her eyes and nodded, the tears flowing more freely now. "I wish with all my heart that it weren't so. I can erase all the bad memories she has, but there's _nothing_ I can do about the prophecy." She turned her head back towards the house, where the Loonatics and newly-christened H.O.P. Force were still celebrating, unaware of the future tragedy that lay in store for them. "Tech, I'm going to ask you to do the hardest thing you've ever done…"

"I think I already know…" he whispered. "_Don't tell her_…"

---

(to be continued…)

The 'nothing that you didn't already know before, lawyers made us say it, let's have a big hand for the end credits' department:

Story © July 11-August 7, 2007 by Jerry D. Withers. Newly revised version © Sept. 12, 2009 with special thanks to ontheair for his creative input and such. "Loonatics Unleashed", "Acmetropolis", and all related characters and indicia are ™ and © 2005-2009 Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. Used without permission. (English translation: I don't own them.) I do, however, own the following characters: Chief Reilly, Andrea, Andrea's mom, the Selzerians and Dr. Hu. © 2007-2009 Jerry D. Withers, and I can use them if I darn well want! (Translation: All rights reserved.) Did I forget to mention this series is based on a line from Fire-Bandicoot-Coyote's "A Christmas Carol"? My dumb.

One story ends… but another is waiting in the wings… or, to be more precise… the sewers… and so is the _next_ member of the H.O.P. Force. You'll see what… and who… I mean in the next episode, "Acmetropolis 3: The Return". See you soon.

In case you missed them the first time, here's the original reviews for Acmetropolis 2:

The Reluctant Heroes…

flexa / 2007-07-11

ch 1 *claps* Yess! I really hated the idea of the Loonatics leaving Acmetropolis, but if this happened it might not be so bad.

*snicker* I love the ZadaviaxTechxSypher interview.

SSBFreak / 2007-07-13

ch 1 Great job thus far! I really like how you have Sypher as someone who's actually wanted to be a superhero, rather than just pretending to be one.

acosta perez jose Ramiro / 2007-07-22

ch 2 Very good stuff here! It kind of reminds me a comic from Marvel, Thunderbolts, featuring former villains playing heroes.

Keep the good writing.


End file.
